The Improving Pig Livability program is the recipient of the 2026 Team Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. Team members from the animal science department are Jason Ross, David Rosero, Stacie Matchan, Nick Gabler, Anna Johnson, Jack Dekkers, Juan Steibel, Laura Greiner and Edison Magalhaes.
Team members from the veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine department in the College of Veterinary Medicine are Chris Rademacher, Daniel Linhares, Marcelo Almeida and Gustavo Silva.
The Improving Pig Livability group has demonstrated exceptional leadership, collaboration and innovation in addressing one of the most critical challenges in commercial swine production: reducing mortality and improving overall pig livability. With strong industry support and significant funding, the team has delivered producer-focused solutions grounded in collaborative research. A hallmark of the team’s outreach success is the International Conference on Improving Pig Survivability.
“The project has advanced the scientific understanding of mortality in commercial swine systems while simultaneously delivering practical, adoptable strategies that are improving survivability outcomes across the country,” stated a colleague. “These accomplishments demonstrate measurable impact on producer adoption and industry knowledge, reflecting the team’s outstanding contribution to the swine industry.”
March 2026