GREENFIELD, Ind. U.S. (3rd December 2020) – Three stand-out projects from Brazil, Switzerland and France, will be awarded grants from Elanco as part of its Care4Pigs initiative to further advance animal wellbeing.
The Care4Pigs global grant initiative was launched in March 2020 to recognize and support innovative-thinking swine professionals who have new and practical approaches to advancing swine wellbeing on farm. A total of EUR30,000 in grant funding was on offer.
In response to this call, more than 120 entries were received from 29 countries. From this, a jury of independent swine and animal wellbeing experts, alongside representatives from Elanco, selected three projects, based on their ability to benefit the wellbeing of pigs, their on-farm practicality and economic viability. The three successful initiatives, to be awarded EUR10,000 each, are:
- Online training tool for proper identification of pigs in need of care and treatment (Brazil) – Professor Cesar Augusto Pospissil Garbossa from the University of Sao Paulo
- O’porctunité - Web and mobile app for pig welfare (France) – Professor Agnes Waret-Szkuta from the Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Toulouse
- Free farrowing systems management (Switzerland) – Dr Thomas Heinrich Echtermann from Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Zurich
Jury member and consultant with the Brazilian Association of Swine Veterinarians (ABRAVES), Dr Cleandro Pazinato Dias reflects on the winning proposals:
“All the entries we received were of such a high level and clearly demonstrate how swine professionals all over the world are committed to the wellbeing of their animals. The three successful projects were able to show a unique and innovative idea, some of which were practical and others more focused on research. All three were key in sharing this important message about wellbeing”.
Along with gaining support to further their projects, the three grant recipients play an important role in inspiring other swine professionals to drive wellbeing improvements in practical ways. Member of the Farm Animal Welfare Education Center, and Care4Pigs judge, Dr Xavier Manteca, reflects on this:
“Care4Pigs demonstrates that farmers can be influential in improving the welfare of animals, not only on-farm, but by providing practical examples. We have the opportunity now to combine the best of scientific research with real-world experience, which can then be shared with producers all over the world.”
The high number of applications for the grant reflects the emphasis on wellbeing globally. Dr Hyun-Seop Kim, member of the Care4Pigs jury and president of the Korean Association of Swine Veterinarian, discusses its importance:
“The outcome of the grant initiative was extremely impressive, with many different types of submissions, even in the middle of the COVID pandemic. This clearly shows that animal wellbeing is a priority for swine professionals across the world. There were many great ideas that can be applied across production systems and geographies for the benefit of pigs and producers.”
Octavio Orlovsky Eckhardt, jury member and Swine Species Marketing Director at Elanco, reflects further on the success of the initiative:
“The focus on advancing swine wellbeing in innovative and practical ways is clearly imperative to farmers across the world. The three selected initiatives, and the knowledge they provide, can now be shared with other swine professionals to help drive further improvements for the benefit of pigs.”
Through the Care4Pigs initiative, Elanco makes evident its approach to sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) commitments, which is called Elanco Healthy Purpose™. This is a framework of commitments and actions that is focused on advancing the wellbeing of animals, people and the planet, enabling the company to realize its vision of ‘Food and companionship enriching life’.
About Care4Pigs
Care4Pigs is Elanco’s global grant initiative that further builds on its strong commitment to advancing animal wellbeing. The initiative provides tools and resources for innovators in swine wellbeing and enables direct and targeted support for farmers and veterinarians. Through Care4Pigs, which is supported by the Farm Animal Welfare Education Centre (FAWEC) of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), the Korean Association of Swine Veterinarians (KASV) and the Brazilian Association of Swine Veterinary Specialists (ABRAVES), Elanco helps to facilitate the initiation or continuation of innovative and practice-oriented ways to advance swine wellbeing on farm. Find out more at www.care4pigs.com
ABOUT ELANCO
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE:ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders, and society as a whole. With nearly 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to helping our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching life and our Elanco Healthy Purpose™ CSR framework – all to advance the health of animals, people and the planet. Learn more at www.elanco.com.
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