Overview of gut health in pigs, intestinal welfare implications, and management approaches.
Pig gut health welfare encompasses the welfare implications of intestinal disease, microbiome disruption, and dietary management on pig intestinal function and comfort. Post-weaning diarrhoea causes acute welfare compromise in recently weaned piglets. Microbiome research is revealing connections between gut health and welfare states. Dietary management with appropriate fibre provision supports gut welfare. Reducing antibiotic use for gut disease requires welfare-positive prevention approaches including diet, management, and vaccination.