Donald G. Levis
PRESENTATION:
New Reproductive Technologies
for the AI industry
DATE/TIME: 1:50 PM,
December 5, 2002
PRESENT POSITION:
Director of the Ohio Pork Industry
Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
EDUCATION:
Ph.D.
-1976, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota
Major: Reproductive Physiology; Minor: Biochemistry and Statistics
Thesis: Heterospermic Insemination in Swine
M.S.
-1972, Northwest Missouri State University, Marysville, Missouri
Major: Animal Science
Thesis:
Influence of the Sire on Conception Rate,
Litter Size, Birth Weight, and Length of Gestation in Swine
B.S. - 1971, Northeast Missouri State University, Kirksville,
Missouri
Major: Agriculture; Minor: Industrial Arts
PRIMARY
RESEARH/TEACHING/INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES:
Industry activities: My
educational programs in the United States and worldwide have focused on: (1)
design and management of swine breeding-gestation facilities, (2) managing
boars, sows and gilts for reproductive efficiency, and (3) implementation and
use of artificial insemination of pigs.
Research activities: My research (.25
FTE) has focused on evaluating hormonal
influences on sexual behavior in adult male and female pigs, developing a
standardized procedure and mathematical index equation for evaluating sexual
behavior of boars, and effect of organic selenium on semen characteristics.
AWARDS:
1998 - Extension
Award, American Society of Animal Science, sponsored by Pfizer
1994 - Excellence
in Team Programming (Swine Home Study Courses), sponsored by University of
Nebraska Cooperative Extension
1991 - Excellence
in Team Programming (Whole Hog Days), sponsored by University of Nebraska
Cooperative Extension
1989 - University of Nebraska Livestock Service
Award, sponsored by Walnut Grove Products
1988 - Distinguished
Extension Specialist Award, sponsored by University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension
Service.
1988 - Pork
Industry Award - Dedicated Service, sponsored by Nebraska Pork Producers
Association.
Dr. Jacques P. Chesnais
Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement Inc.
Recent Developments
in the Canadian Swine Improvement Program
Date/Time: 3:00
P.M., December 5, 2002
Present
Position:
General
Manager,
Canadian
Centre for Swine Improvement Inc.
Education:
Institut
National Agronomique, Paris, France
Université
des Sciences, Paris, France
Institut
National de Recherches Agronomiques (INRA), Jouy-en-Josas, France
The
Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement Inc. is an organization created by the
pork industry to provide leadership in the development of swine improvement
activities in Canada. It advises the
industry on genetic improvement issues.
It develops standards, computes genetic evaluations and offers
consulting services to about 125 breeders, breeder alliances and breeding
companies in the national swine improvement program. It carries out research, directly or in cooperation with
university or government research centres, on matters of direct interest to the
pork industry.
Prior to
his current position at CCSI, Dr. Chesnais was the Director of the Genetic
Evaluation Division of Agriculture Canada, and a research scientist at the
Animal Research Institute of Ottawa, Canada, and at CNRZ, INRA, France.
Awards:
Agriculture
Canada Excellence Award
Brian
Kennedy Memorial Award
Pramod K. Mathur
Canadian Centre for
Swine improvement (CCSI)
PRESENTATION: Development of a recording and evaluation system for conformation
traits
DATE/TIME: 3:45 PM, December 5, 2002
PRESENT POSITION: Geneticist, Research and Development
Canadian
Centre for Swine improvement (CCSI)
Ottawa,
Canada
EDUCATION:
Dr. Sc. Agr. Doctor of Science in Agriculture
Technical
University of Berlin, Germany
M.V.Sc. Master of Veterinary Science
University
of Udaipur, India.
B. V. Sc.
& A.H. Bachelor of Veterinary
Science and Animal Husbandry
University of Udaipur, India
PRIMARY
RESEARCH/TEACHING/INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES:
Pramod is responsible for
research and development for the Canadian Swine Improvement Program at CCSI,
for about six years. Prior to this, he has been involved in research and
teaching graduate level courses in genetics, breeding and statistics for about
seven years at the University of Udaipur, India. and ten years at the Technical
University of Berlin, Germany.
Pramod has planned and executed a
number of national and international research projects. The main areas of his
research are:
- Estimation
of connectedness among herds
- Selection
schemes and breeding strategies (Breeding for profit)
- Integration of molecular genetics in
selection programs
- Estimation
of genomic proportions and genetic distances using DNA fingerprints
-
Genotype-environment interactions
-
Heterosis-environment interactions
- Productive
adaptability to tropical environments
- Major gene effects
Dr. John Mabry
Iowa Pork Industry
Center at Iowa State University
PRESENTATION: Trends in sow longevity and productivity in the US industry.
DATE/TIME: 4:15 PM, December 5, 2002
Biography
Dr. Mabry is
the Director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center at Iowa State University in Ames,
Iowa, USA. The mission of the Pork
Center is to be a leader in technology transfer to the pork industries of Iowa,
the USA and internationally. His major
research emphasis has been in the development and implementation of across herd
and within herd genetic evaluation programs, along with development of
cost-effective genetic systems for the swine industry. Dr. Mabry works closely with major seedstock
suppliers and commercial swine producers in Iowa, the USA and around the world
on the development and implementation of data management systems and genetic
evaluation programs in swine for growth, reproduction and meat quality. He has developed computer software for the
collection, processing and genetic evaluation from performance test data. He has served on the Genetic Programs
Committee of the National Pork Producers Council since its inception. In addition, Dr. Mabry has participated in
cooperative research, technology transfer and consulting programs in over
thirty countries internationally.
Director of
Production Research Programs
National Pork Board
PRESENTATION: Breed differences in sow longevity.
DATE/TIME: 4:40 PM, December 5, 2002
Rodney Goodwin is Director of
Production Research Programs for the National Pork Board. In that position, he coordinates all
production research projects. He is
responsible for the evaluation and prioritizing of genetic research and
improvement programs. Goodwin was the
overall manager the World Pork Expo Pork Challenge, National Barrow Show Sire
Progeny Tests, the Terminal Line Genetic Evaluation Program, Quality Lean
Growth Modeling Project, Maternal Line Genetic Evaluation Program and the
Genetics of Lean Efficiency Project.
Prior to becoming part of the National Pork Board staff
on July 1, 2001, Goodwin was Director of Production Research Programs for the
National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).
Prior to joining NPPC, Goodwin spent 11 years as a pork
producer in southern Minnesota.
He has received numerous awards
and honors including the National Swine Improvement Federation Outstanding
Seedstock Producer Award for Minnesota in 1984 and the National Swine
Improvement Federation Distinguished Service Award in 2000.
He is a graduate of Iowa State
University with a doctorate degree in swine genetics. He was named the Outstanding Swine Genetic
Graduate Student in 1985 and 1986. He
has authored many articles about swine breeding, particularly the NPPC World Pork Expo Pork Challenge Results,
Pork Quality Genetic Evaluation Summary,
NPPC Terminal Sire Line National Genetic
Evaluation Program Final Results, NPPC
Maternal Line Genetic Evaluation Program Results and 1991-1999 National Barrow
Show Progeny Test Genetic Reports.
Gene Noem
Murphy Farms Western
Operations
PRESENTATION:
Management of data at the commercial level.
DATE/TIME: 8:45 AM, December 6, 2002
PRESENT POSITION: Director of Marketing, Murphy Farms Western
Operations
EDUCATION: BS, Animal Science, South Dakota State
University, ‘79
PRIMARY
RESEARH/TEACHING/INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES:
Development and management of relationships with customers
of Murphy farms Western Operations market hogs and cull animals.
Biography:
Gene grew up in eastern South Dakota on a diversified
livestock and grain farm. He spent
several years working in the swine breeding stock industry. As an employee of PIC during the 1980’s, he
managed the forecasting, coordination and transportation of breeding stock to
hundreds of farmers in the US and abroad.
In 1989, after an assignment in Asia, during which evaluated options for
establishing new business ventures, Gene moved to North Carolina to manage the
East Coast breeding stock sales efforts during a time of unparalleled industry
growth.
In 1993, Gene joined Murphy Farms in Rose Hill, NC. He oversaw the construction, startup and
completion of a 16,000 sow production system producing over 325,000 head of
hogs per year, representing a $30 million land and facility investment. In 1996, he moved back to the Midwest to
lead the development of a new contract finishing business in his home state of
South Dakota.
Today Gene is the director of marketing in the Western
Operations of Murphy Farms and is based in Ames, Iowa. In that responsibility, he is accountable
for managing the pig flow and utilization of over 1 million finishing spaces on
over 300 locations and in 8 states, resulting in the sales of nearly 4 million
market hogs per year. Additionally he
serves on the Smithfield Animal Welfare committee and is responsible for
studying, understanding and bringing the business to new opportunities in the
sale and use of the Western Operations market hogs.
Scott Newman
PIC USA
PRESENTATION: Management and use of commercial-level data
for genetic improvement
DATE/TIME: 9:30 AM, December 6, 2002
PRESENT POSITION:
Technical Services Geneticist, PIC USA
EDUCATION:
BS, Colorado State University, MS, University of Idaho, PhD,
Purdue University (1983)
PRIMARY
RESEARH/TEACHING/INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES:
Design and implementation of genetic improvement programs
Allan P. Schinckel
Purdue University
PRESENTATION: Genetic aspects of fat and bacon quality
DATE/TIME: 10:45 AM, December 6, 2002
PRESENT
POSITION:
Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University
EDUCATION:
B.S. - Iowa State University;
M.S. and Ph.D. – University of Nebraska
PRIMARY
RESEARH/TEACHING/INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES:
Research and extension in Swine Genetics and compositional
growth modeling.
AWARDS:
U.S.D.A.
Distinguished Service Award for Scientific Research (Purdue Lean Team –
STAGES), June 1992.
Midwest Society
of Animal Science, Young Scientist Extension Award. March, 1993.
National Swine Improvement Federation Distinguished Service
Award – Team award for the development of STAGES. December 1995.
1996 Purdue
University Agricultural Research Award, May 1996.
1996 Dean’s Team
Award – Swine Production Technology Team, May 1996.
David S. Casey
Graduate Student,
Iowa State University
PRESENTATION: Graduate student award paper presentation:
The use of electronic feeders in genetic improvement
programs for swine
DATE/TIME: 11:30 AM, December 6, 2002
PRESENT POSITION: Research Assistant, Iowa State University
Starting January 1, 2003 Research Specialist, Pig
Improvement Company
EDUCATION:
B.S., 1992, Wilmington College of Ohio
M.S., 1998, University of Nebraska
Ph.D., (2003), Iowa State University
PRIMARY
RESEARH/TEACHING/INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES:
Developed and evaluated a method of editing errors in data
from electronic feeders
Edited feed intake data from three National Pork Board
studies
Compared performance of growing pigs fed using electronic
versus conventional feeders
Evaluated different testing strategies to maximize the use
of electronic feeders
Consulted with two breeding companies on the use of
electronic feeders
Designed and implemented an experiment to select for
decreased residual feed intake
AWARDS:
Gamma Sigma Delta 2002
National Agricultural Honor
Society
Lauren Christian Award 2001 Iowa State University
Work-study Assistantship 2000-02 Iowa State University
Research Assistantship 1999-02 Iowa State University
Pace Award 1999 Iowa State University