NATIONAL PORK BOARD

2006 Summer RFP

Animal Welfare, Pork Safety, and Environment-Public Health

DEADLINE: Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006 – 5:00 p.m. CST

The National Pork Board is soliciting research propoals dealing with Animal Welfare, Pre-Harvest Pork Safety, Antimicrobial Use and Resistance and Environment/Public Health. Please read carefully the individual solicitation descriptions for project proposals. If you have questions related directly to the description of a specific solicitation, contact the staff member listed in charge of the program area. For questions on the general submission process, contact Bev Everitt at 515/223-2750.

To be considered for committee review, all proposals must be submitted via the website by 5:00 p.m. CST on Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006 (see for links). Proposals will be reviewed by both technical advisors and pork producers prior to the committee selection meetings.

Animal Welfare

Sherrie 515/223-3533

Pork Safety/Environment-Public Health

Liz 515/223-2633

Or

Steve 515/223-2754

NOTES:

Proposal selection will occur in October 2006.

Notification of grant awards will be done in late October 2006.

Project funding will begin between November 15-30, 2006 or sooner if specifically requested.

Requests for second-year funding must be resubmitted.

  1. ANIMAL WELFARE

The Pork Checkoff would like to make a special call for research projects addressing specific aspects of the three listed topics. Topics are not listed in priority order and funding decisions will be based on the ability of the proposal to meet the targeted objective chosen. Suggested proposal budget is approximately $75,000.

Specifically, research proposals should address one of the following:

C1 Euthanasia

Develop new or refine currenttechniques that are effectiveto humanely euthanize pigs

C1.1 for individual euthanasia

C1.2 for mass euthanasia for disease control (i.e. foreign animal diseases)

C2 Transport

Define the interaction of transport time with pig well-being. Specifically, identify the maximum amount of time a class of pig can be transported before the well-being of the pig becomes compromised. Possible factors to consider in the experimental design include season, trailer type, and on board provisions (i.e. food and water).

C2.1 Weaned pigs (2-4 wks of age)

C2.2 Feeder pigs (10-12 wks of age)

C2.3 Finisher pigs (market weight pigs)

C2.4 Breeding stock (including replacements and market culls)

C3 Tail Docking

C3.1In reevaluating the practice of tail docking, identify the relationship between tail docking practices and incidence of tail biting behavior. Specifically, is tail docking truly an effective method for preventing tail biting behavior? If so, what is the optimum docked tail length for the health of the pig and preventing this behavior?

D.PORK SAFETY

Impact of production practices on carcass defects and physical hazards.

Research should include the areas of epidemiology, pathogenesis, prevalence, risk factor management, monitoring and measurement, and/or intervention or control strategies. Funding limit is $40,000 per project. A larger funding request may be considered if appropriate justification is given, especially for farm level trials with numerous replicates. Researchers are encouraged to find matching funds or work on collaborative projects.

  1. Studies to determine the impact of alternate injection methods and/or techniques (such as hip injection or needle free injection systems) on carcass defects and/or physical hazards. Long term studies in sows and market hogs are desirable.
  2. Studies to determine the causes of, and farm-level interventions for, carcass defects such as abscesses and/or physical hazards

H.ENVIROMENT/PUBLIC HEALTH

Pathogens with potential public health significance

Research should include the areas of epidemiology, pathogenesis, prevalence, risk factor management, monitoring and measurement, and/or intervention or control strategies. Funding limit is $50,000 per project. A larger funding request may be considered if appropriate justification is given. Researchers are encouraged to find matching funds or work on collaborative projects. Novel approaches and concepts are encouraged even if they do not fit into a specific priority area.

  1. Studies of the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile in pigs and the potential for contamination of pork products
  2. Studies of other pathogens of potential public health significance that are related to pig production and/or pork products

L.ANTIMICROBIAL USE AND RESISTANCE

Funding limit is $50,000 per project. A larger funding request may be considered if appropriate justification is given, especially for farm level trials with numerous replicates. Researchers are encouraged to find matching funds or work on collaborative projects. Novel approaches and concepts are encouraged even if they do not fit into a specific priority area. Research topics include (in priority order):

1.Studies to determine the health and economic impacts of removal of growth promotion antibiotics from various types of production systems and health status herds

  1. Studies to determine the effects of growth promotion versus control/prevention versus treatment dosages on the development and persistence of resistance
  2. Studies to examine the effect of antimicrobial usage in different stages of production on the development and persistence of resistance
  3. Studies to determine the risks of antimicrobials and/or resistant bacteria in the environment and factors that impact the level of risk
  4. Studies to determine antibiotic use industry wide, including types of products used as well as indication for use.

6.Studies to determine the epidemiology and/or potential risk factors for emergence of novel Salmonella serotypes and/or resistant profiles and the attributes which may affect human or animal health

  1. Studies to determine the susceptibility of multi-drug resistant pathogens to post-harvest interventions and practices