Banff Pork Seminar Hands out Awards
Two student scientists were announced as winners of the R. O. Ball Young Scientist award at the 2015 Banff Pork Seminar (BPS).
Janelle Fouhse, University of Alberta (left) and Ben Willing of the University of Alberta accepting for first place winner, Natalie May.
The F.X. Aherne Prize for Innovative Pork Production at the 2015 Banff Pork Seminar in Banff, Alta. was shared this year, recognizing two impressive hog innovations.
“Innovation is always fascinating and this award is one of the most popular aspects of the annual Banff Pork Seminar,” says Dr. Michael Dyck of the University of Alberta, chair of the F.X. Aherne prize committee. “The prize recognizes those individuals who have developed either original solutions to pork production challenges or creative uses of known technology.”
The award is named after industry icon, the late Dr. Frank Aherne, a professor of swine nutrition and production at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and a major force for science-based progress in the western Canadian pork industry
Greg Feenstra (L) and Dave Uttecht of Heartland Pork designed the E Z Hog Tub hog handler. It helps reduce stress on pigs and people during loading, produced faster loading and lower plant losses. And it accomplished that with very little expense.
Lyle and Maaike Campbell of Birnam Pork, Arkona, Ont. won for an innovative piglet weigh scale which boosted profitability in that operation. The Campbells’ innovative solution to weighing young piglets was low cost and had a direct benefit on their bottom line. Birnam Pork produces weaned piglets that excel in the grower-finish phase of pork production. They needed some way to weigh those piglets so they could ensure they were meeting marketing objectives and getting paid for their efforts.
Also presented in Banff one speaker at the Banff Pork Seminar is there as part of a legacy of Dr. George Foxcroft, swine research pioneer and industry icon.
Dr. Egbert Knol as the 2015 recipient of the Foxcroft Lectureship. Knol comes to us from TOPIGS-Norsvin in the Netherlands where he a research director and has unique type of sort of cross assignment between the breeding company and academics.
Congratulations to all the recipients.
