Investing in research and innovation remains a critical element for the future progress of the pork industry.
“I can’t emphasize enough how important research is,” says Lee- Anne Huber an Animal Sciences Professor at the University of Guelph.
Lee-Anne’s passion for animals in pigs started at a young age as she grew up on a pig farm, today she is regarded as one of the leading researchers in swine nutrition. She takes great pride in knowing the work being done at the Ontario Swine Research Centre is leading to improved outcomes for pork producers.
“When conducting research, we have to consider that the livelihood of producers is at stake,” says Lee-Anne. “We really want to feed pigs as efficiently and as inexpensively as possible, because we know the profit margins are so narrow.”
Among the projects that Lee-Anne is working on with research students, is a project she leads examining how much nitrogen, amino acids and protein are in feed. They then will determine how many of those building blocks are present in sow milk. This important data being collected will have crucial impacts for future feed rations.
“Farmers might not see it, but data that we generate at the University is then integrated into feeding programs on farms and is leading to improved growth.”
Lee-Anne says the investment from Ontario Pork through research dollars to the University and into building the new Swine Research Centre, is something that will have a lasting impact on the pork industry for future generations.
“That market hog research fee, we can match it with federal and provincial funds and get two, three, four times the dollar value of what Ontario Pork is contributing, so that seed money from OP makes a massive difference in our research outcomes.”
Money well spent according to Lee-Anne. Research that will help shape the future for generations of pork farmers in an ever-changing industry.