Main description:

'...individual chapters provide very thorough, up-to-date reviews of health and welfare of pigs during different stages of production...The health section does a good job of summarizing the current major disease challenges facing pig production...If you want up-to-date reviews on some of the most pressing welfare issues in different stages of production, there are some good chapters included.'
Animal Welfare

Pig meat is the most widely-consumed meat in the world. Previous growth in production has relied, in part, on more intensive systems. In meeting rising demand, these systems face challenges such as the ongoing threat of zoonotic diseases, the need to improve feed efficiency in the face of rising costs, the need to reduce the environmental impact of pig production and increasing concerns about animal welfare.

This volume looks at animal health and welfare. Part 1 reviews the main diseases affecting pigs as well as ways of managing diseases and boosting pig immune function. Part 2 reviews what we know about pig behaviour and appropriate welfare standards. It also assesses the welfare of different groups of pigs, from gilts and sows to weaned piglets and finishing pigs, as well as transport, lairage and slaughter.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for researchers in swine science, producers, government and other organisations involved in supporting pig production. It is accompanied by two companion volumes which focus on safety, quality and sustainability as well as animal breeding and nutrition.

Contents:

Part 1 Animal health
1.Diseases affecting pigs: an overview of common bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens of pigs: Alejandro Ramirez, Iowa State University, USA;
2.Changing patterns of disease affecting pigs: Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED): Carla Correia-Gomes, Scotland's Rural College, UK;
3.The influence of gut microbiome on developing immune and metabolic systems in the young pig: Mick Bailey, Emily Porter and Ore Francis, University of Bristol, UK;
4.Disease identification and management on the pig farm: Dominiek Maes, Jeroen Dewulf, Filip Boyen and Freddy Haesebrouck, Ghent University, Belgium;

Part 2 Welfare issues
5.Understanding pig behaviour: Simon P. Turner and Richard B. D'Eath, Scotland's Rural College, UK;
6.Defining and ensuring animal welfare in pig production: an overview: Paul H. Hemsworth, University of Melbourne, Australia;
7.Pasture systems for pigs: Silvana Pietrosemoli and James T. Green, North Carolina State University, USA;
8.Welfare of gilts and pregnant sows: Sandra Edwards, Newcastle University, UK;
9.Welfare of weaned piglets: Arlene Garcia and John J. McGlone, Texas Tech University, USA;
10.Welfare of pigs during finishing: Jonathan Amory, Writtle College, UK; and Nina Wainwright, British Pig Executive (BPEX), UK;
11.Transport and lairage of pigs: Jennifer M. Young, North Dakota State University, USA;
12.Humane slaughter techniques for pigs: Susanne Stoier, Leif Lykke and Lars O. Blaabjerg, Danish Meat Research Institute - Danish Technological Institute, Denmark;