Swine ethology and welfare research group
Research to Understand the Behaviour and Improve the Welfare of Farmed Pigs
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On January 9th we hosted an afternoon of knowledge transfer focusing on the results generated from the NSERC IRC swine welfare research program and discussion of their implications for producers and the pork value chain. Over 40 producers, industry representatives and researchers joined for the presentations and lively discussions of the results. Keep an eye on the website for updated results!
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A chance to play keeps the disease at bay! Our newest publication shows that pigs given opportunities to play with enrichment, then infected with PRRS, were less affected by & developed increased resilience to PRRSV, showing the benefits of play in pigs.
https://frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1460993/full
Don’t miss the Sask Pork Industry Symposium Nov. 5–6th! Dr. Martyna will be presenting a talk on advancing swine welfare practices that will empower the industry at 11:30 on day one & our students will be presenting posters on both days!
Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/saskatchewan-pork-industry-symposium-november-5-6-2024-tickets-945819069297?aff=oddtdtcreator
Optimal light duration & intensity can have positive productivity, welfare, and health benefits for your pigs!
2Recent Posts
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
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.
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.
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.
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