I am a Veterinary Technician working in pig specialist practice in the UK and have worked with loose farrowing and loose lactating sows for over a decade. My role in practice is very hands-on, and my role continues to evolve over time. It includes troubleshooting problematic areas alongside farmers, pregnancy scanning, assisting the vets and training new starters in the industry.

I am currently in the middle of undertaking a Nuffield Farming Scholarship, addressing the question 'Flexible farrowing and the hyper prolific sow; is it possible to have it all?', whether we can improve welfare for the sow and piglets at the same time as maintaining productivity and profitability for the farmer.