Project Reports

APRIL > Research and Development > Project Reports

Project Reports for completed APRIL projects can be found below. Further Final Reports will be added as they become available.

1. Industry Priority Projects

  • 6A-103 Easing the weaning transition: large piglets from large pellets. Mr Robert Hewitt (CHM Alliance). Confidential

  • 6A-104 Use of thermographic technology to detect reproductive state in sows and improve piglet performance in a commercial farrowing house [Project Leader: Dr Jessica Craig, (Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.)]. Summary. Final Report. SOP FLIR Camera Appendix.

  • 6A-107 Developing high-throughput molecular screening techniques to detect reciprocal translocation in boars. Professor Tariq Ezaz (The University of Canberra). Project terminated.

  • 6A-108 How low CAN you go?: Optimising the use of calcium nitrate (CAN) in gestating sow diets to reduce piglet birthweight variation and improve their lifetime performance. Dr Jessica Craig [Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.] Summary. Final Report.

  • 6A-109 Review: Identifying knowledge gaps and strategies to improve progeny uniformity of pigs.Dr Fan Liu (Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.). Summary

2. Innovation Projects:

  • 5A-101: Real-time, In-field water testing. Dr Louise Edwards and Mr Robert Parkes (Ridley Agriproducts Pty Ltd.). Confidential.
  • 5A-102: Insect meal from pork-processing-derived material. Dr Kristy DiGiacomo (The University of Melbourne). Summary. Final Report.
  • 5A-103 Development of a Streptococcus suis vaccine via measurement of immune responses to four different S. suis vaccine preparations, using an Australian cps2 ST25 strain. Dr Mark O’Dea and Professor Sam Abraham (Murdoch University). Summary. Final Report.
  • 5A-104: Low dose dietary strategies in late gestation to enhance born alive and piglet survival and performance. Dr Jessica Craig [Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.]. Summary. Final Report.

  • 5A-105: Oral means of increasing endogenous GH levels and enhancing the performance and carcass characteristics of growing pigs. Dr Fan Liu [Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.]. Confidential.
  • 5A-107: Using algal extracts to improve weaner growth performance and digestibility. Mr Robert Parkes (Ridley Agriproducts Pty Ltd.). Summary. Final Report.

  • 5A-111: Escaping the daily grind – coarser ground diets for improved fetal growth. Dr Kate Plush (Sunpork Group). Summary. Final Report.

  • 5A-112: Novel aspirin supplementation during gestation to improve farrowing rate and piglet birth weight of sows mated in summer. Dr Fan Liu [Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.] Summary Final Report

  • 5A-113: Brain measures of positive welfare in pigs. Summary. Final Report.

  • 5A-114: Smart sensors for animal welfare monitoring. Associate Professor Abel Santos (The University of Adelaide). Confidential.

  • 5A-115: Use of progesterone and GM-CSF to improve the fertility of extended semen. Associate Professor Mark Nottle (The University of Adelaide). Confidential.

  • 5A-116: Heating up the house: Evaluating the effect of novel monitoring and heating systems on the productivity, welfare and economics of farrowing houses. Summary. Final Report.

3. Investment Round 1 Projects:

  • A1-101 Novel approaches for reducing antimicrobial resistant and pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria in the porcine gut. Professor Sam Abraham (Murdoch University). Summary Final Report.

  • A1-102 Proof of concept: Oral Fluids and quantitative assessment of Porcine Chronic Respiratory Disease (PCRD) in Australian field conditions. Dr Jessica Craig [Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.]. Summary. Final Report.

  • A1-103 Improving enteric health, understanding impact on gut microbiome and weaner performance through the use of protease enzymes. Mr Robert Hewitt (SunPork Group). Summary. Final Report.
  • A1-104 Developing remote monitoring methods for early detection of respiratory disease in pigs. Dr Ellen Jongman (The University of Melbourne). Summary. Final Report.
  • A1-106 A lab on a chip for real time pain and animal welfare biomarker measurement. Dr Abel Santos (The University of Adelaide). Summary  

  • A2-101 Protected vitamin and mineral premixes maintain performance of commercial pigs at reduced inclusion rates. Mr Robert Hewitt (SunPork Group) Summary. Final Report.

  • A3A-101: Improved feed efficiency, control of P2 backfat and maintenance of pork quality in finishing pigs fed with bitter compounds. Professor Eugeni Roura (The University of Queensland). Confidential.
  • A3A-102 Review of relationships between energy intake and performance and body composition changes in 60-108 kg pigs with modern genetics using a DXA scanner. Dr Fan Liu [Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.]. Summary. Final Report.
  • A3A-103 Feeding a single diet to pigs in the grower/finisher stage to reduce feed costs and improve feed efficiency. Dr Karen Moore (Pork Innovation WA). Summary. Final Report.

  • A3B-102 Nutritional supplementation to increase the number of pigs weaned and fertility of sows which farrow and are mated during summer / early autumn. Associate Professor Will van Wettere (The University of Adelaide). Summary. Final Report.
  • A3B-103 Identifying reciprocal chromosomal translocations in boars to reduce early embryo mortality. Dr Darryl D’Souza (SunPork Solutions). Summary.

  • A3B-104 Seasonal fertility: a novel approach to alleviating seasonal infertility in sows. Dr Kate Plush (CHM Alliance). Summary Final Report.

  • A3B-105 Effects of negative DCAD and vitamin D in transition diets to increase piglet weaning numbers, improve piglet weaning weight, and minimise sow condition loss during lactation. Dr Alice Weaver (Myora Farms; now PIRSA-SARDI). Summary Final Report.

4. Commercialisation Projects:

  • 7C-001: BONIFF-SMEC: An in-field practical delivery mechanism for improved weaner piglet performance (Anatara Lifesciences Ltd.). Summary. Final Report.

  • 7C-004: Assessing the use of rapid technologies for the detection of boar taint in carcases (Dr Sam Hitchman, AgResearch Limited, New Zealand) Confidential.

  • 7C-006 Easing the weaning transition: Pellet form and size to reduce the post-weaning growth check. Mr Robert Hewitt (SunPork Group). Summary. Final Report.

  • 7C-008: Commercial evaluation of NCG supplementation on growth performance, carcass backfat and meat quality of finisher pigs (Dr Fan Liu, Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.) Confidential.

5. Pork CRC Carryover Projects to APRIL:

  • 2A-116 Pre-farrowing health and welfare assessment of sows. Dr Kim Bunter (AGBU-University of New England). Final Report.
  • 2A-119 Development of a quantitative PCR test for swine dysentery. Emeritus Professor David Hampson (Murdoch University). Confidential.
  • 3B-114 Development of a ‘healthy pork’ resource for use by consumers, health professionals and regulatory bodies: summary and dissemination of Pork CRC human nutrition research. Dr Karen Murphy (University of South Australia). Summary. Final Report.
  • 4A-110 Integrated wastewater treatment plant (iWWTP) data collection (January – April 2019). Professor Howard Fallowfield (Flinders University).  Final Report.
  • 4B-128 The use of 15N as a biomarker for feed conversion efficiency (FCE) in pigs using blood and hair samples. Dr (Paul) Long Cheng (The University of Melbourne). Final Report.
  • 4C-119 Bio-upgrading piggery biogas by growing algae, for value-add end uses. A/Prof Paul Jensen (The University of Queensland). Summary. Final Report.

  • 8C-011 The provision of a curative supplemental block provides enrichment, reduces mutilation and reduces the negative impact on production performance caused by tail and ear bite mutations in growing pigs. Dr Darryl D’Souza (CHM Alliance). Project terminated
  • 8C-013 An assessment of an attenuated live streptomycin-dependent Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) vaccine (serovar 15) delivered either intranasal or as a combination of intranasal and intramuscular injection. [Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.]. Summary. Final Report.

6. Other Projects:

  • Facility-Funded Study (SunPork Solutions): A3A-104 Feeding a single diet versus phase feeding to pigs in the growing-finishing phase. Summary. Final Report.
  • Facility-Funded Study [Rivalea (Australia) Pty Ltd.]: A3A-105 Evaluation of phase feeding compared to a single diet strategy. Summary. Final Report.