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SMART HANDHELD DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC BLOOD ANALYSIS: INNOVATIVE PREDICTION OF SHEEP PREGNANCY AND LITTER SIZE

“As an Alberta-based discovery and tool to support Canadian lamb production, and a novel product for the international market, we are
optimistic of the tremendous potential this device and the processes that go into it will hold for the livestock industry”

How will this research help increase the competitiveness and profitability of Alberta’s agriculture industry?

With the development of a smart, handheld device for automatic blood analysis, this innovative technology can provide a more clear prediction of sheep pregnancy and litter size. Current livestock diagnostic methods generally involve expensive laboratory equipment run by specialized personnel. The creation of a point of care – pregnancy litter size (PoC PLS) tool will allow targeted nutrition management
of ewes to enhance lamb survivability and ultimately improve flock profitability & competitiveness.

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Trending Video

Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim



In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.