Agricultural Research Research Articles

Abstract The Improving Pig Survivability Project has completed 5 yr encompassing research, education, and extension with the goal of reducing overall mortality in the U.S. commercial swine industry. The project is funded by National Pork Board and Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, and continues through 2026. Team members represent institutions including Iowa State University, Kansas State University, and Purdue University. The project is guided by an advisory board consisting of US swine producers and allied industry partners. Research efforts seek to identify factors contributing to swine mortality in commercial production, and to develop strategies and information that can be utilized to reduce mortality and maximize pig survivability. Key economic findings include the first publicly available economic tool for swine producers to input their specific production information and costs, creating a farm level specific cost of mortality for both the breeding herd and post-weaning to market. Key strategies found to reduce sow mortality include: understanding late gestation body condition as thin sows in late gestation are more likely to prolapse compared with normal or overweight sows; Early intervention to monitor and treat lameness resulted in 25.4% relative reduction in annualized sow mortality in commercial settings tested; Feeding sows four 1.5-pound meals reduced farrowing assistance and reduced piglet deaths compared with ad libitum intake for 3 to 5 d before farrowing; perineal score, genetics, and microbiome risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse were identified. Key strategies found to reduce pre-weaning mortality include: colostrum should be 300 to 350 g per piglet, and a milky cheese addition during enrichment period. Key strategies found to reduce wean to finish mortality include: whole-herd analysis of 2,568 WTF closeouts revealed sow farm parameters associated with improved livability were sow farm health status and productivity associated with lower WTF mortality; Increased mortality was associated with Streptococcus suis, Glaeserella parasuis, PRRSv, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and PEDv; early maturing duroc sired pigs had reduced stress, greater feed intake, decreased % losing body weight post weaning, and greater gain during the nursery period; enrichment cubes to pigs post-weaning reduced the percentage losing body weight after weaning; feeding large pellet creep feed in lactation improved nursery pig growth and decreased fallout rates; mat feeding reduced mortality and removals; sensory attractant powder before and after weaning reduced percentage that lost body weight the first 3 d after weaning, and linoleic:linolenic acid ratio can impact gilt growth and the use of lower energy diets appears to reduce joint inflammation. In addition to grant funding, 22 additional projects were supported by in-kind industry donations/partnerships worth over $1.6 million. Resources generated are available in peer-reviewed publications, factsheets (English and Spanish), short informational videos, and podcasts (PigX). Project outcomes are available at the Improving Pig Surviability website (www.piglivability.org).

Abstract According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, females and males in science disciplines obtain bachelor of science degrees at or near parity, yet females are not equally represented in academic faculty positions. This is true for agricultural field including the animal sciences. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administers the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) at USDA, a flagship competitive grants program that fund research, education, and extension efforts with a total appropriation of $455 million in 2023. Our objective was to determine the difference between genders for submission rates (i.e., number of standard and seed grant applications submitted), success rates (i.e., number of grant award/number of applications submitted), and peer reviewers of grant applications in the main animal related AFRI program area priorities. All applications submitted to AFRI programs in animal genomics, reproduction, health, nutrition and growth, and welfare during 2013 to 2022 were evaluated. Gender was assigned to Project Directors (PD) and peer reviewers using first names as input into Gender API software (Gender-API.com; Passau, Germany) with ≥ 95% accuracy and ≥ 20 database occurrences used as quality filters and binary outcomes only (i.e., male or female). Effect of gender on submission rates, success rates, and peer review panel compositions were then analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-squared tests with P ≤ 0.05 considered significant. A total of 3,392 applications were submitted, of which 2,579 (76%) PD genders were assigned and analyzed further. Overall, the proportional submission rate for females was 28% and for males was 72%. Submission rates for females increased (P = 0.0497) over time ranging from 22% in 2013 to 33% in 2021. Submission rates differed by gender across programs (P &lt; 0.0001) and ranged from 22% female in animal reproduction to 48% female in animal welfare. Overall, the funding success rate was 22% and did not differ between genders (P = 0.9826). Success rates did not differ between genders over time (P = 0.4691), but differences among programs approached significance (P = 0.0670). Across 53 panels, 42% of panelists were female; no differences were identified for the proportion of female panelists over time (P = 0.9762) or by program (P = 0.7028). Females submitted less than one-half as many applications as males, but the proportion of submissions by females increased over time. This trend remained consistent despite challenges of relocation of NIFA and COVID-19 during this time. Funding success rates did not differ by gender, but some variation was observed across programs. Overall, the proportion of NIFA panelists who were female exceeded the proportion of applications submitted by females. These results indicate that although differences in gender existed for application submission rate and panel composition, these differences did not impact funding success rate of applications in animal science programs at NIFA, which did not differ between genders.

Agricultural Research Research Articles

Related Topics

Articles published on Agricultural Research

Effect of crop geometry and nitrogen levels on leaf chlorophyll content of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) at different growth stages under rainfed Vertisols

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum)-based intercropping systems in Rajasthan’s Hadoti region: Productivity and economic viability

Weed dynamics, yield and economics of winter transplanted organic chia (Salvia hispanica L.) under nutrient and weed management

Halophilic microbial formulations for improving crop productivity and soil health under saline Vertisols of Gujarat

Growth and yield of late sown winter baby corn (Zea mays) as influenced by NPK levels

Effect of sowing management and herbicides application on weeds and yield of berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum)

Dual purpose barley (Hordeum vulgare) for better remunerations through higher fodder and grain production under different cutting schedules

Productivity and profitability of rice (Oryza sativa) influenced by customized fertilizers under rice-wheat cropping system

Effect of zinc and boron on grain quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum) in north-western plain zone of India

Growth, yield and nutrient uptake of browntop millet (Brachiaria ramosa) under varying sowing dates and nitrogen levels

Microbial population and yield of rice–wheat system under variable irrigation and nutrient management

37 Key learnings from the improving pig survivability project

224 Influence of gender on animal science research funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture

PSII-8 Analysis of maternal influence on phenotypic ultrasound measurements of weaned Angus calves

Effect of Kharif Paddy Straw Management Options on Nitrogen Requirement to Rabi Paddy

115 Gene editing: Where are we on campus and where can it go?

Cultural, Morphological and Pathogenic Variability in the Colletotrichum capsici Isolates, Inciting Anthracnose and Fruit rot of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) in different Agro-Climatic Zones of Kerala, India

60 Effects of phase feeding rolled hybrid rye on feedlot performance in backgrounded beef steers

Impact of Climate Change on Wheat Yields in Australia

Vinterutfodring av renar - effekter på renarnas beteende, renskötseln och miljön

Lead the way for us