FAI Farms in Oxfordshire is currently looking at nutrition and gut health, with the inclusion of forage based components into pigs diets.

Understanding pig health and disease is covered, in detail, in the updated edition of Managing Pig Health, a reference for the farm.

The original book - Managing Pig Health and the Treatment of Disease - published in 1997, written by vet Dr Mike Muirhead and edited by Dr Tom Alexander has been revised and updated by Dr John Carr.

Since the original publication a number of new pathogens have emerged such as Porcine Circovirus 2 (PMWS and PDNS) and Nipah virus. These, and others, are now covered and the updates include the latest information on key diseases, such as PRRS, as they affect pig herds around the world.

Managing Pig Health retains its comprehensive coverage of pig health by detailing management practices, diseases, observations and procedures at each stage of the production cycle from reproduction, through gestation to farrowing and on through the weaner, grower and finishing periods.

Information on welfare has also been revised and updated to reflect the latest European legislation particularly the requirements for sow housing. The section looks at how these regulations and guidelines have been implemented in the UK and it also looks at the guidelines for welfare instituted in the US and Canada and the standards that have been put in place in Australia.

Managing Pig Health can be pre-ordered from 5m Retail.