Feeding Curiosity for Better Swine Nutrition

By Lara Ivanitch

Nursery pigs often face a difficult transition, shifting from sow milk to solid feed. This stressful period can lead to digestive issues, which can threaten the health and development of some piglets. But NC State University doctoral student Alexa Gormley, along with other researchers, is zeroing in on how nutritional supplements for young pigs could help solve the problem.

Part of a team working to improve intestinal health in newly weaned pigs, Gormley, who is pursuing her Ph.D. in animal science, studies how pre-, pro- and post-biotics can ease weaning stress. The research is conducted in the lab of Sung Woo Kim, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Animal Science.

Gormley’s research has examined oligosaccharides, milk-based prebiotics, and traditional probiotics — and more recently, yeast-based postbiotics, including one derived from the craft brewing industry, that show potential results as an alternative feed ingredient that could support pigs through the weaning transition. 

Her interest in swine nutrition began during an internship at a commercial swine facility as an undergraduate student at Iowa State University. There, she saw how much time and attention nursery pigs require.

“Aside from maybe farrowing [giving birth], the nursery phase requires the most hands-on work and the most fine-tuning from a dietary standpoint,” she says.