As we continue to genetically select for sows to produce more pigs, it is important that we ensure they are getting adequate milk from the sow, but there may be more ways to help this other than maximizing feed intake during lactation. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Chantal Farmer about her recent study on increasing lysine in the gestation period to further increase mammary development in gestating gilts and hopefully consequently increase the milk yield capacity during lactation.

Dr. Farmer is a research scientist in sow lactation biology working at the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. She obtained her B.Sc. from McGill University (1980), her M.Sc. from the University of Saskatchewan (1982), and her Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State University (1986). Dr. Farmer’s research goal is to increase sow milk yield, hence piglet growth. She was a pioneer in studying mammary development in gilts and sows and identifying factors affecting it. She has published over 150 scientific manuscripts, 7 book chapters, and is the sole editor of a recently published book entitled “The gestating and lactating sow” that was also translated and published in Chinese.

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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