# Normal Temperature, Heart Rate & Respiratory Rate of Pigs

> Normal vital signs of pigs: rectal temperature 38.7–39.8 °C (101.6–103.6 °F), resting heart rate 70–120 beats/min, respiratory rate 32–58 breaths/min (MSD) — three references compared.

- Source page: https://wevet.in/normal-values/pig-2/
- Type: Normal values
- Publisher: WeVet
- Updated: 2026-11-01
- Audience: veterinarians and veterinary students

Reference ranges for the vital signs of the pig from the MSD Veterinary Manual tables, adapted from *Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals* [1][2][3], compared with Virginia Cooperative Extension [4] and the UC Davis California Veterinary Emergency Team [5].

## Reference ranges

| Parameter | Pig | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rectal temperature | 38.7–39.8 °C (101.6–103.6 °F) | [1] |
| Resting heart rate | 70–120 beats/min | [2] |
| Resting respiratory rate | 32–58 breaths/min | [3] |

## How the references compare

Published reference ranges differ between sources. Each range below is printed as its source gives it; °C values marked * are converted from the source's °F. The respiratory-rate ranges differ markedly between the three references.

| Parameter | MSD Veterinary Manual [1][2][3] | Virginia Cooperative Extension [4] | UC Davis CVET [5] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 38.7–39.8 °C (101.6–103.6 °F) | 100.4–104 °F (38.0–40.0 °C*) | 101.5–103.5 °F (38.6–39.7 °C*) |
| Heart rate (beats/min) | 70–120 | 60–100 | 70–120 |
| Respiratory rate (breaths/min) | 32–58 | 8–18 | 30–50 |

## Measuring

- Temperature: a veterinary thermometer in the rectum, removed after 2 to 3 minutes or after the interval recommended by the manufacturer [4].
- Pulse: in swine, the heart must be palpated directly to feel a pulse [4].
- Respiration: count flank movements or breaths at the nostrils for one minute at rest [4]; respiration rate is influenced by stress, exercise, temperature and other factors [4].

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the normal temperature of a pig?

The MSD Veterinary Manual table gives 38.7–39.8 °C (101.6–103.6 °F) [1]; Virginia Cooperative Extension gives 100.4–104 °F [4].

### What is a normal heart rate for a pig?

70–120 beats per minute in the MSD table [2] and the UC Davis chart [5]; 60–100 in Virginia Cooperative Extension [4].

### What is the normal respiratory rate of a pig?

The references differ: 32–58 breaths per minute in the MSD table [3], 30–50 in the UC Davis chart [5] and 8–18 in Virginia Cooperative Extension [4].

## References

[1] Normal Rectal Temperature Ranges (table) — MSD Veterinary Manual. https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/normal-rectal-temperature-ranges
[2] Resting Heart Rates (table) — MSD Veterinary Manual. https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/resting-heart-rates
[3] Resting Respiratory Rates (table) — MSD Veterinary Manual. https://www.msdvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/resting-respiratory-rates
[4] Monitoring Livestock Vital Signs — Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech and Virginia State University) (2020). https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/APSC/APSC-169/APSC-169.html
[5] Normal Vital Signs (vitals chart) — California Veterinary Emergency Team (CVET), University of California, Davis (June 2024). https://cvet.sf.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk13661/files/inline-files/CVET%20Vital%20Signs%2006_2024.pdf

---
Numbers in [brackets] cite the references above. For veterinary professionals. Information supports — never replaces — clinical judgement; always check the current product label and local regulations.
Ask follow-up questions in WeVet (free AI assistant for veterinarians): https://wevet.in/