RDAR Rising to the Challenge - HPAIV

Jun 19, 2025

RDAR is actively rising to the challenge posed by the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV), taking a leadership role in driving the conversation and supporting critical research gaps. We are funding projects that aim to develop effective diagnostic tools and generate practical knowledge about H5N1 transmission risk factors. This research is essential to help support biosecurity measures to prevent outbreaks, but also for understanding the broader implications of the virus, as H5N1 is no longer solely a concern for the poultry industry.

RDAR-funded research is investigating the potential transmission of HPAIV through migratory bird contamination of water and the environment. RDAR-funded research will also determine if H5N1 has already been introduced into Alberta's dairy or swine populations. By uncovering transmission pathways, the goal is to develop targeted strategies to prevent future outbreaks, protecting both animal and human health.

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Video: Stress as a Nutrient Thief - Dr. Sarah Pearce

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Sarah Pearce, Research Animal Physiologist with USDA ARS, explains why stress can act as a nutrient thief in pigs. She discusses gastrointestinal health, barrier integrity, inflammation, feed efficiency, stress interactions, and emerging biomarkers that may help predict performance challenges before they occur. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article: https://academic.oup.com/af/article/1...

"Stress can steal calories and nutrients because energy normally used for growth is redirected toward immune activation, gut repair, and other costly survival responses."

Meet the guest: Dr. Sarah Pearce / sarah-pearce-phd-3a5881a5 earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from Iowa State University and currently serves as a Research Animal Physiologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Her research focuses on gastrointestinal physiology, nutrition, stress biology, immune function, and productivity in pigs and poultry. Learn more from Dr. Sarah Pearce on the Swine Nutrition Black Belt Podcast, available on all major platforms.