Optimal gut health is fundamental to good life time performance in pigs. Successful and welfare friendly pig production requires a solid appreciation of the interactions which occur between nutrition, gut physiology and immunity (Kelly and King, 2001). Events like heat stress also add an environmental factor into the list of considerations.

When formulating diets for pigs it is essential to consider not only the nutritional requirements for efficient growth, but also the nutritional and non-nutritional requirements of the immune system, the intestinal tract, and the commensal microflora. This paper will explore the nutritional factors which require consideration when formulating for optimal gut health and performance in modern pig production.

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