• Program Information
• Proposal Deadline:
  

  TBA (last known deadline was August 31, 2012)

• Program Description

  The Pork Checkoff Animal Welfare Committee is requesting proposals on issues impacting the welfare of swine.
  
  The Animal Welfare Committee has $300,000 to fund swine welfare related research. There is no exact funding limit for submitted proposals but the budget request should be appropriate and justified for the work that is being proposed. Researchers are encouraged to find matching funds or in-kind contributions to the project.
  
  Housing of gestating sows has been and continues to be an important question for the swine industry. Specific research topics of interest with regard to housing and management of gestating sows are described below (please note that these are not in priority order):

  • Compare of different space allowances within group housing systems to determine the minimum square footage needed for the design to be successful.
  • Determine the effect of group size on behavior, physiology, and production measures with emphasis on medium and large group sizes (medium >20, large >50).
  • Determine the interaction between space allowance and group size for different feeding systems? How can this interaction be optimized?
  • Evaluate the effect of diet formulation on satiety. Can roughage included in the diet substitute for manipulable materials in the environment?
  • Evaluate the impact of feeding area design on injury, physiology and productivity. This could include space and length of feeding stalls needed to separate the feeding area for individual feeding.
  • Determine the impact that weaning directly into groups will have on aggression, physiology and productivity.
  • Evaluate the sow's ability to remember cohorts when mixed prior to breeding, housed in breeding stalls for 28-45 days and then re-mixed into groups. What impact does this have on aggression, physiology and productivity?
  To be considered for committee review, all proposals must be submitted via the website by 5:00 p.m. CST on Friday, August 31, 2012.
  
  Proposals will be reviewed by both technical advisors and pork producers prior to the committee selection meetings. Final funding is subject to approval by the National Pork Board and USDA.

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