Farmscape for June 29, 2015

The University of Saskatchewan is moving to fill the position of NSERC Industrial Chair in Swine Welfare.
The University of Saskatchewan, in partnership with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Prairie Swine Centre have launched a global search for a new ethologist with a focus on swine who will also move into the position of NSERC Industrial Chair in Swine Welfare.
Lee Whittington, the president and CEO of the Prairie Swine Centre, says the successful candidate, who will hold a tenured track position with the University of Saskatchewan, will be resident at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and will also be part of the multi disciplinary team of scientists at the Prairie Swine Centre.

Clip-Lee Whittington-Prairie Swine Centre:
We have identified the fact that there needs to be a go to group in science, in the area of welfare in pigs.
Somewhere where the packing industry can go to, the pork industry whether they're a producer or someone involved in transportation or even retailers or even the general public, some place that they can go where there will be expertise that is science based plus have the ability to bring together all of the different research projects that might be happening at other institutions across Canada and have a single portal or window, if you will, of opportunity for various groups to come to and find more about pig welfare and pig care and where the research is leading us in that area.

Whittington says the new scientist will also be expected to develop relationships with researchers in veterinary medicine, nutrition, engineering and barn design across Canada to come up with multi disciplinary projects that answer practical questions like, how much space do animals need, or how can we reduce pain during teeth clipping, tail docking or castration, which have been cited in the most recent code of practice.
For more on this new position visit the University of Saskatchewan or the Prairie Swine Centre web sites.
For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

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