Kyle Moak – NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Swine Welfare

The relationship between animal welfare and sustainable pork production

Research Team: Research Technician: Kyle Moak Research Technician: Kayla Arisman Research Technician: Venus Tran Research Lead: Dr. Yolande Seddon Project Timeline: 2022–2026 Call for participants! Seeking pig producers and swine veterinarians in Canada and the USA who are responsible for...

March 12, 2024

Welfare Indicators

Animal-based indicators of welfare post-mortem

Monitoring carcass animal-based indicators allows producers to review management practices that work well and those that can be adjusted to improve welfare.

February 29, 2024

Pigs' Early Life

Biomarkers of Welfare

Results from this project indicate pigs with ‘enhanced’ enrichment increased lifelong ADG and were easier to handle at eight weeks. Piglets with pre-weaning lameness had increased cortisol:DHEA ratio in hair, suggesting this could be an objective measure of individual welfare.

February 29, 2024

Play Behaviour Research Projects

Play behaviour and its role in enhancing pig welfare and production

Play is a promising tool to support quality of life for pigs with benefits for pigs and producers. Pigs with a good quality of life resonates with consumers and supports the sustainability of commercial systems, while maintaining the social license.

February 29, 2024

Pigs' Early Life

Contribution of early life management to pig robustness

There are two early life periods where the pigs’ behaviour develops the most, between 0-4 and 4-12 weeks of age. In these periods, the development of a pig’s coping ability is influenced which may have long lasting consequences on their...

February 29, 2024

Author: Kyle Moak

The relationship between animal welfare and sustainable pork production

Animal-based indicators of welfare post-mortem

Biomarkers of Welfare

Play behaviour and its role in enhancing pig welfare and production

Contribution of early life management to pig robustness

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