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Sustainability hangs on to pigs and pork

‘Environmental, social and governance’ (ESG) goals: you may have heard of them, and you may be skeptical that they are a hip but unsubstantial layer within the complexity of big business. On top of that, you may be wondering what they have to do with agriculture at all, or at least raising pigs or selling pork.

Like a cultural tsunami, these corporate priorities have swept up investors, executives and media pundits alike, and they are probably coming to a barn and processing plant near you, soon, if they have not already arrived.

In fact, two presenters at the 2023 Banff Pork Seminar, Mauricio Alanis, Director, Sustainability Strategy & Partnerships, Maple Leaf Foods and Banks Baker, Director, New Product Marketing, Pig Improvement Company (PIC) are riding the crest of that tidal wave but bringing plenty of hope and encouragement along with them, rather than heavy-handed morality or guilt-inducing tactics of those who sometimes like to pick on the livestock sector.

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Sow Reproduction in Free-Choice Barns - Dr. William Flowers

Video: Sow Reproduction in Free-Choice Barns - Dr. William Flowers



In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. William Flowers from North Carolina State University explains sow reproductive performance and behaviors in free-choice gestation barns. He discusses social hierarchy, stress responses, feeding behavior, and the influence of housing design on fertility outcomes. Understand how sow interactions can affect production results and management decisions. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Overall, sows, even the dominant sows, choose to spend about 70% of their time in the stall portion.”

Meet the guest: Dr. William Flowers / william-flowers-998b348a is the William Neal Reynolds and Alumni Distinguished Professor of Animal Science at North Carolina State University. His teaching covers swine production and reproductive management, while his research focuses on improving fertility in swine. Dr. Flowers holds a B.S. in Animal Science from Virginia Tech and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Missouri. Listen to The Swine it Podcast Show Canada with Dr. William Flowers on all major platforms.