Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Annual Mike Wilson Swine Research day provides updates and networking opportunities

Traceability and predicting future research areas were two of the topics on the agenda at the recent Mike Wilson Swine Research Day at the University of Guelph.

The annual Swine Research Day provides updates on current research as well as networking opportunities with faculty, grad students, industry representatives and keynote speakers. Wilson was a faculty member in OVC’s Population Medicine department from the late 1960s to the mid-1990s.

The research day provides an opportunity to share information, but it is also a valuable opportunity to connect with others in the industry, said Dr. Robert Friendship, Population Medicine, who organized the annual event.

The day’s first keynote speaker, Tim Nelson, Livestock Research Innovation Corporation, outlined LRIC’s role in determining research priorities, as well as some perspectives on determining what kind of research will be needed in the future.

“To predict correctly, we have to pay attention to everyone who is trying to shape the outcome,” he said, including industry, researchers, the processing industry, retailers and consumers. 

From the mid to late 20th century, production was the driving force in research, he added. Genetics, disease management and nutrition were the things that drove production.

Now consumers are looking for more variety, nutritional attributes, added value, and paying close attention to environmental and welfare concerns, he added.

Keynote speaker Dr. Dan Hurnik, University of Prince Edward Island, outlined gains in pig movement and traceability. “Traceability gives consumers trust in the production system,” he said, and allows the industry “to do much better problem-solving and mitigation of risk areas.” Movement data can be used to build predictive models to help mitigate the spread of disease, he added.

Additional presentations included research surrounding swine influenza, anemia in weaned piglets, and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea, as well as more than a dozen poster presentations from masters and PhD students.

Views: 118

Comments are closed for this blog post

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Bridging the Gap: How What About Wheat? is Reconnecting Canadians with Their Most Consumed Grain

Every week, millions of Canadians enjoy their morning toast, lunch wraps and pasta dinners and countless other wheat-based foods without realizing they’re consuming one of the country’s most exported crops. While Canada produces high-quality nutritious wheat that reaches tables across the globe, a surprising disconnect exists at home: 93% of Canadians consume wheat products weekly, yet few understand the substantial health benefits found in these everyday staples. The What About Wheat? initiative aims to close this knowledge gap by informing Canadians about the nutritional benefits of wheat—a mission that’s becoming increasingly important as dietary misinformation spreads. The Challenge: Misinformation vs. Nutrition Science Gluten-free trends, fad diets, and social media messaging often encourage Canadians to reduce or eliminate wheat-based products from their diets. However, wheat-based products provide significant contributions to a healthy diet and removing them can lead to reduc

Warburtons Contributes $650,000 to Gate Project

The Global Agriculture Technology Exchange (Gate) Capital Campaign today announced that it has received $650,000 in funding from Warburtons, the largest bakery brand in the United Kingdom. “This contribution represents a close, long-standing relationship between Cereals Canada and Warburtons,” said JoAnne Buth, Gate Capital Campaign Chair. “We are thrilled to make this announcement alongside Warburtons, and we are grateful for their support.” Located in downtown Winnipeg, Gate will provide the tools necessary to allow Cereals Canada to maintain the globally recognized, best-in-class expertise needed to support?today’s global markets, providing customers like Warburtons with value-added technical knowledge and expertise, and maintaining Canada’s leadership as a trusted and innovative supplier of high-quality wheat. “Cereals Canada and Warburtons share a deep commitment to quality and innovation,” said Buth. “Warburtons sources significant volumes of Canadian wheat from Western Canada

Maple Leaf Foods Releases 2024 Integrated Report Highlighting Sustainability and Strategic Achievements

Maple Leaf Foods ("the Company") released today its annual Integrated Report, bringing together an update on its 2024 financial performance and future outlook, as well as a holistic view of the Company's key initiatives, emphasizing its continued commitment to sustainability, shared value, and strategic growth.

Mastronardi Produce expands westward in the U.S.

Mastronardi Produce, pioneers of commercial greenhouse growing in North America, is adding two high-tech greenhouses into its U.S. farm distribution network

Take the farm to your customer

The requests for category managers and other employees in retail to visit suppliers never ends. People are proud of what they do, and they want their customers to see their operation. When I was working in retail, we could never get to all of the farms.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service