Dan Columbus – The issues facing pork producers and swine nutritionists moving into the future are similar to what they have been for decades, a need to increase productivity while meeting increasing demands from legislation and consumers to ensure economic, environmental, and social sustainability. While the challenges are the same, the methods with which we tackle these issues are evolving, and nutritional sciences will necessarily include additional aspects, such as physiology, metabolism, and microbiome, among others, to advance the field. There will also be a shift in focus to consider not only the impact of nutrition on growth, but on animal health and welfare as well, and to incorporate the impact of feed decisions on the environmental impact, and specifically the carbon footprint, of pork production.
Our understanding of the complex interactions of the competing and symbiotic relationships between feedstuffs and animals as well as the incorporation of advancing technology, such as improved growth models and precision feeding, will be crucial for the advancement of the industry. While the swine industry faces numerous challenges, including increased costs and regulatory, environmental, and social requirements, the industry has proved to be resilient and adaptable. There are many opportunities to ensure the continued success of the industry, however, both additional knowledge on nutrient requirements and a shift in how we view nutrition will be needed. We will also need to continue to incorporate alternative ingredients into nutrition programs and advocate for a regulatory environment that ensure the competitiveness of the pork industry in Canada.
Challenges and opportunities for swine nutrition (full article)
