Day 03

Spending lots of time sitting outside my supervisor's office and the people in that corridor keep giving me funny looks...

Went up to the pig farm today to take measurements, pictures and rectal swabs. Although it's not part of the project, I'm going to be looking for Salmonella over the next six weeks. Go me.

We spent an hour talking to the farmer, then then an hour running through farrowing pens measuring everything I can think of and taking photos of the pens. And the piglets, because they're cute.

Then we went to the dry sow house and took said samples. People laugh - but it's really hard to hold on to the short, slippy tail of an animal weighing over a quarter of a tonne with one hand, while trying to take a swab with the other, all the time being dragged around the pen by the indignant animal, and crowded by the others! It's a hard life, being a vet!

Can still smell pig on me somewhere, despite the fact I was wearing a hat and coveralls and wellies over my clothes. Think I'll be having a bath tonight...

Family coming across to visit - arriving tonight!