Animal Well-being
Evaluating the effects of mitigation strategies on piglet welfare and future productivity after transport during different seasons
May 31, 2018By Dr. Jay Johnson
As consumer concern for swine welfare, husbandry methods, and antibiotic use in animal agriculture increase, so will the need for U.S. pork producers to demonstrate that current production practices...
Animal Well-being
Using conveyor belt to load and unload pigs to promote self-movement of piglets
April 3, 2017By Donald Lay Jr
Pigs are not accustomed to climbing sloped ramps. However, sloped ramps are impossible to avoid in regular management and handling practices due to design of the physical facilities at finishing...
Animal Well-being
Evaluating the welfare of piglets after weaning and transport during heat stress
January 31, 2017By Jay Johnson
Weaning is a complex stressor associated with social, environmental and metabolic stress in pigs, that can be compounded by the negative effects of transport and thermal stress. To combat these...
Animal Well-being
Innovative scientific techniques to evaluate alternatives to the use of carbon dioxide euthanasia procedures
June 1, 2012By Donald Lay Jr
The identification and validation of a humane method to euthanize piglets is critical to address the public’s concern that current...
Animal Science
Understanding the relationship between immune response, intestinal microbial ecology and growth performance in nursery pigs fed diets with, or without in-feed antibiotics or a combination of beta-glucan and vitamin C
March 13, 2009By Marcos Rostagno
Weaning and the subsequent nursery phase represent a time of gastrointestinal and immune instability for the pig. This research project was developed to understand the effect(s) of two commonly used...
Animal Well-being
The impact of routine piglet processing on well-being
March 31, 2006By Donald Lay Jr
The major finding of this research project is that any processing technique that can be carried out quickly and with minimal tissue damage is likely to be least stressful for the piglet. Alternative...
