#37 - Madie Wensley: Pros and cons of different genetic selection criteria for pigs

Preferred selection criteria have changed drastically over the last several decades. When it comes to that matter, increasing growth rate is typically high on the priority list – but should you select for increased gain in the nursery or in the finishing period? In this episode, I talk with Madie Wensley about her study that evaluated 2 different sire lines – one selected for early maturing pigs and another, for late maturing pigs – to see how their growth rates and stress levels differed from birth until market. 

Meet the guest: Madie Wensley obtained her B.S. in Animal Science at Michigan State University and her M.S. in Applied Swine Nutrition at Kansas State University. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate, and her research has been focused on different feeding and management strategies to maintain continuity of nutrient intake in young pigs after weaning, with the goal of decreasing mortality. While completing her Ph.D., Madie served as the swine undergraduate research coordinator, overseeing undergraduate student workers and research projects that resulted in presentations at various college and national scientific forums. Nowadays, Madie manages data and completes statistical analysis for a commercial research program within a large swine production system. She is well-trained in experimental design, diet formulation, protocol planning and implementation, and statistical analysis and interpretation.