Australian pork researcher wins top science and innovation award
Muller, a research associate at CHM Alliance Pty, one of Australia’s largest pork producers, impressed judges with her research work into sow behaviour, welfare and incidence of lameness in sow herds.
"Lameness is a common contributor to early culling in sow herds as foot health is influenced by many factors, including pen environment, floor type, group housing and nutritional regime," Muller said.
Producer-owned organisation Australian Pork Limited (APL) said the award grant of up to AU$22,000 will allow her to complete her PhD and further her focus on research around "measured uptake of dietary supplemented, organic sourced zinc and manganese in the hair and hoof of growing gilts and its effect on hoof integrity".
APL general manager research & innovation Dr Darryl D’Souza was pleased at the win: "This award is a wonderful example of the innovation that young scientists can provide to enhance the future sustainability of agriculture and the pork industry in this particular case."
