Supporting Ontario's Swine Sector
Delivering farm-tested solutions for Ontario
The Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance helps Ontario’s pork producers by delivering practical, research-backed solutions to address current and future challenges. Farm-to-fork research and new technologies lead to improved growth and efficiency and productive, healthy animals.
World-class laboratory testing, specialized training and strategic investments in research keep the swine sector resilient.
Partners: Working together for a strong, sustainable sector
The Alliance brings together government, academia and industry for a strong, sustainable swine sector. Partners include:
- Ontario Pork
- Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC)
- Agribusinesses, such as those specializing in animal health, nutrition, genetics, feed and ingredients
Making an impact
Evaluating needle-free injection technology in piglets
Dr. Terri O’Sullivan and Dr. Ron Johnson
Alliance-funded research is examining ways to reduce needle use on farm, specifically by using a needle-free injection device to administer iron and meloxicam to young piglets at processing/castration within the first four days of life.
Improving animal welfare, meat quality and sustainability in pork production
Dr. Jim Squires and Dr. Christine Bone
Using genetic markers associated with varying levels of boar taint, the team identifies pigs less likely to develop boar taint and develops nutritional strategies to manage this multifactorial problem that affects meat quality.
Safeguarding the province: Preparing for African swine fever
Dr. José Nuño-Ledesma, Scott Biden and Dr. Christa Arsenault
Experts from the University of Guelph and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness are collaborating to understand the potential economic impacts for the pork industry if the disease were to reach Canada.
Reducing stillbirth and neonatal mortality in pigs
Sarah Hill
As part of her PhD in epidemiology with Dr. Bob Friendship, Hill is investigating how to reduce stillbirth and pre-weaning morality in piglets. Hoping to help sows deliver and nurse more piglets, she looked at risk factors for sows from late gestation through farrowing.
Developing new swine virus tests
Animal Health Laboratory (AHL)
AHL confirmed two new-to-Ontario diseases and developed in-house tests to prepare for future outbreaks. Having in-house testing capacity helps ensure AHL is prepared for testing needs to support Ontario swine producers.
Exploring on-farm soybean processing to make Ontario pig farms more economically resilient
Dr. Lee-Anne Huber
Exploring full-fat soybeans as a cost-effective, antibiotic-free pig feed. A feeding trial will assess growth, health, meat quality and gut health through fecal microbiome analysis.
Ontario Swine Research Centre
Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO) provides the places and spaces where research thrives.
Cutting-edge research prevents disease and keeps Ontario's food systems safe—from farm to table.
Additional services and resources
Supporting diagnostics and surveillance
The Animal Health Laboratory (AHL) at U of G specializes in determining the health of livestock, poultry, horses and pets through a wide array of tests, and in turn provides disease surveillance data for the province of Ontario.
U of G researchers use the Research Isolation Unit for studies. The unit is managed by the U of G Central Animal Facility.
In the news
- Pig Progress: Pig enrichments analysed in new Quality of Life handbook (Feb. 2025)
- The Rural Voice: Increasing milk production in gilts (Dec. 2024)
- National Hog Farmer: Utilizing yeast in sow diets to optimize piglet growth (Sept./Oct. 2024)
- Farms.com: Scientists Explore Alternatives to Antibiotics and Zinc Oxide to Address Postweaning Diarrhea (Sept. 2024)
- Ontario Pork: Leading Swine Research for Future Generations (May 2024)
- Farmtario: Newly-infected pigs most likely to yield lab test answers (Apr. 2024)
- Pig Progress: Farm visit Ontario (Canada) – Research farm with the latest novelties and Farm visit Ontario part 2: a look inside the sow house (Apr. 2024)
- Better Pork and Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC): Using research to solve practical swine industry problems (Feb. 2024)
- Farmtario: New pork research barn called a ‘game changer’ (Sept. 2023)
- Farms.com: Pork Producers Tour New Swine Research Centre (Sept. 2023)
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