Optimising pig herd health and production

Part 1 Understanding and identifying disease
1.Advances in understanding mechanisms of porcine viral disease transmission/epidemiology: Joaquim Segalés, Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA) - Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA) and OIE Collaborating Centre for the Research and Control of Emerging and Re-Emerging Pig Diseases in Europe (CReSA-IRTA), Spain;
2.Understanding and identifying bacterial disease in swine: Dominiek Maes, Filip Boyen and Freddy Haesebrouck, Ghent University, Belgium;
3.Improving disease surveillance and monitoring systems in pig herds: Alejandro Ramirez, University of Arizona, USA;
4.Surveillance on swine farms using antemortem specimens: Berenice Munguía-Ramírez, Betsy Armenta-Leyva, Luis Giménez-Lirola, Chong Wang and Jeffrey Zimmerman, Iowa State University, USA;

Part 2 Understanding immunity and disease resistance
5.Advances in understanding the development of immune function in pigs: Lorenzo Fraile, University of Lleida, Spain;
6.Advances in understanding gut function and immunity in pigs: Bert Devriendt, Ghent University, Belgium;
7.Nutritional strategies to boost immune function in pigs: Glen W. Almond, North Carolina State University, USA; and Sara D. Hough, DSM Nutritional Products, USA;
8.Host–pathogen interactions and genetic tools for resistance to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus: Raymond (Bob) Rowland, University of Illinois, USA;

Part 3 Disease prevention
9.On-farm strategies for preventing pig diseases: improving biosecurity: Jeroen Dewulf and Dominiek Maes, Ghent University, Belgium;
10.Managing feed to optimize pig health: Sam Millet, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Belgium; and Nadia Everaert, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liège University, Belgium;
11.Managing housing and stocking density to optimize health, welfare and production in pig herds: Isabel Hennig-Pauka and Alexandra von Altrock, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany;
12.Advances in the development and use of vaccines for prevention of endemic diseases in pigs: Enric Mateu, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Ivan Díaz, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB) and OIE Collaborating Centre for the Research and Control of Emerging and Re-Emerging Swine Diseases in Europe (IRTA-CReSA), Spain; and Gerard Martín-Valls, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain;
13.Advances in developing vaccines for emerging diseases in pigs: Francisco Javier Martinez Lobo, University of Lleida, Spain;

Part 4 Optimising health through the life cycle
14.Optimizing the health of gilts and sows during pregnancy and parturition: S. Björkman, C. Oliviero and O. A. T. Peltoniemi, University of Helsinki, Finland;
15.Optimising the health of weaned piglets: Andrea Luppi, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Italy;
16.Optimising the health of finisher pigs: Edgar Garcia Manzanilla, Pig Development Department, Teagasc, The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Ireland;

“The focus and inter-relatedness of the topics, the strategic selection of authors and the global understanding of the editors of this textbook together promises to deliver a collection of transformational, forward looking perspectives on current and future innovations and best practices for the most progressive pork producers and the veterinary practitioners, nutritionists, engineers, academicians and others that serve throughout the pork production chain.”
Patrick G. Halbur, Professor and Chair, Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Executive Director, ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, USA

"The content of this book is both extensive and impressive. The editors and contributors are world class and will certainly produce a book that will serve the swine industry for many years to come. The emphasis on health rather than disease in this book is important...I am confident that the information in this book will assist in avoiding this problem and I look forward to reading it."
Associate Professor Roy Kirkwood, Swine Production Medicine, University of Adelaide, Australia"Current information. Knowledge with excellent science. Practical and hands-on tips. Distinguished, world-renowned experts as authors. This book has of all these. I believe it will be milestone for the swine industry going forward."
Professor Satoshi Otake, DVM PhD, Swine Extension & Consulting, Inc., Japan