Seeking ways to support pigs during the stresses of transport, a group from Texas Tech University studied possible benefits of providing pigs electrolytes and a glucose source in alginate hydrogel beads*.
During transport, AHB pigs had more lying activities than those pigs not exposed to beads. After transport AHB pigs sat more and tended to move more than the pigs not exposed to beads.”
Source: National Hog Farmer, November/December 2022. Link.
*Learn some basics about making alginate hydrogel beads, The Chemistry Calendar, December 2019. Link. (2:38 minute video)