Pig Development Department

Department Overview

The focus of the Pig Development Department is to improve profitability, increase sow productivity and grow the national sow herd, while operating to the highest standards of pig welfare and to produce quality assured pig meat while adopting best practice to protect the environment. The department integrates research, knowledge transfer and

Department Objectives

To improve economic sustainability with especial focus on nutrition optimization
To help achieve the highest standards of health and welfare to produce pork that meets the requirements of the consumer
To help reduce the environmental impact
To promote data capture, integration and benchmarking for more targeted actions
To increase the technical knowledge of the workforce
To promote coordination among the different stakeholders

Staff

6 Pig Specialists
5 researchers
4 technicians
4 Farm staff
16 Post-graduate students
Placement students

Main Research Areas

Nutrition
Sustainability
Sow Profitability
Health and Welfare

Pig Research Facility

200 sows, farrow-to-finish, dry and wet feeding, loose sow housing, feed evaluation unit, additive testing, SPF, individual intake recording, digestibility, welfare, electronic identification, sow feeding stations, flexible pens, on-site milling