Brenda Christensen’s journey as an Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) Scholar has given her a deep appreciation for the far-reaching implications of her research on sustainable pork production. Her work explores the use of gut-supporting yeast additives to boost pig immunity, offering a promising alternative to the widespread use of antibiotics and zinc oxide (ZnO) in livestock farming.
As a PhD student in animal nutrition, Brenda’s research focuses on the crucial link between diet and immunity in piglets after they are weaned from their mothers. Like humans, a healthy gut microbiome full of beneficial bacteria plays a vital role in supporting strong immunity in pigs. Brenda’s work investigates how the optimal dosage of yeast additives can help build this immunity, much like probiotics do for humans.
By supplementing sow diets with the yeast additive, Brenda’s research has shown that the mothers build up a healthier gut flora, which is then passed on to the piglets through passive immunity. When the piglets are directly fed the yeast additive, their gut health also improves, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal dysfunction that commonly affects newly weaned pigs. Brenda is now investigating whether supplementing both the mother and piglets provides further benefits.
Through collaborations with other students and industry partners facilitated by the HQP program, Brenda has gained insights into the broader challenges facing sustainable food production. Traditionally, disease in livestock was mitigated through preventative use of antibiotics, which led to concerning rises in antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics were later replaced by widespread use of ZnO to suppress bacterial growth, but this practice also has downsides – it can create superbugs and the zinc from manure runoff pollutes waterways and soils.
The yeast additive Brenda is working on offers a more sustainable solution. By optimizing the dosage and timing, her work supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria to fight off harmful pathogens, reducing the need for antibiotics or ZnO. As an HQP scholar, Brenda has seen how this can contribute to the larger goal of environmentally friendly pork production with lower zinc pollution and less antibiotic resistance.
As an HQP scholar, Brenda’s interdisciplinary experience deepened her understanding of the connections between animal nutrition, environmental stewardship, food safety and global food security. With a clear path forward, she is motivated to continue uncovering sustainable solutions that balance pig health and responsible farming practices.
The HQP program was jointly funded by Food from Thought and the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.
References:
World Animal Protection (2018) Beating Superbug Pigs Report.
CDC. Antibiotic Resistance and NARMS Surveillance.
Google. When is Canada Banning ZnO.
AlTech. Successful Pig Production Without Zinc Oxide How Thrive And Survive.
