The newly named NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Swine Welfare says a new research program looking at swine welfare will contribute to the sustainability of farming systems and global food security.
Last week the University of Saskatchewan in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada announced the creation of a new swine welfare research program.
The focus is fundamental science in areas critical to understanding swine welfare to create new tools for research, for swine operations to track progress in welfare and for transparency.
Dr. Yolande Seddon, an Assistant Professor in Swine Behavior with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, an Adjunct Research Scientist with the Prairie Swine Centre and the newly named NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Swine Welfare, says the nice thing about this research is that it's so far reaching.
Dr. Yolande Seddon-Western College of Veterinary Medicine:
The swine industry stands to benefit, the pigs themselves if we made good breakthroughs stand to benefit.
We know that it should support the sustainability of the swine industry and if we are supporting the sustainability of the swine industry and market access that can support Canada's economy and rural livelihoods.
We also feel that this research is important to consumers because they have an interest that their food is raised humanely and it's probably of interest to consumers to see a new body of research being done to examine how can we enhance welfare for the animals in our care.
Source : Farmscape