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USask swine welfare chair renewed for the next five years thanks to national pork industry

As the pork industry continues to see growth across the country, another investment is being made in the welfare of animals.

Dr. Yolande Seddon, associate professor in swine behaviour and welfare at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, was renewed as the USask Chair in Swine Welfare on Jan. 8 at the Banff Pork Seminar.

In total, fourteen industry partners from across Canada have committed to a second chair term for Dr. Seddon from 2024 to 2030. They include Sask Pork, Olymel, Maple Leaf Foods, HyLife, Conestoga Meat Packers, Sunterra Farms, BC Pork, Alberta Pork, Manitoba Pork Council, Ontario Pork, Porcima Inc., PEI Hog Commodity Board, New Brunswick Pork and Swine Veterinary Partners.

Swine Innovation Porc also contributed $50,000 during the transition period and is anticipated to make additional investments during the five-year term.

Canada produces more than 25 million pigs each year and is the third-largest pork exporter in the world, as the swine industry generates nearly $5 billion annually in exports and is a crucial component to the nation’s economic sustainability and growth.

For producers who would like to send research ideas to Dr. Seddon, it is best to reach her by email at yolande.seddon@usask.ca by January 31, 2025.

Source : Saskpork

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In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Laya Alves from the University of São Paulo, in Brazil, discusses how animal welfare regulations are evolving globally and their impact on pig production systems. She explains challenges in group housing, pain management, and euthanasia decisions, while highlighting the role of training and management in improving outcomes and economic sustainability. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Translating welfare requirements into daily farm routines without compromising economic sustainability remains one of the biggest challenges faced by producers globally today."

Meet the guest: Dr. Laya Alves / laya-kannan is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, focusing on animal welfare in pig production, including pain management, euthanasia, and economic decision making. Her work integrates welfare science with practical farm management and sustainability. She collaborates globally to develop applied tools for producers.