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Change is a freight train

CEO commentary by Kelly Somerville

My predecessor, Mike McMorris, told me once that the status quo carries tremendous inertia. Change can be difficult—especially when we don’t control it—but in today’s livestock sector, driving the change we need is more critical than ever.

For years, agriculture has relied on public trust and positive perception to maintain our social license to produce food. But that foundation is shifting as society becomes further removed from farming. The reputations that once propped us up – established decades ago – are no longer enough to sustain us on the domestic or international stage.

Now is the time to challenge the status quo. In Ontario, we face looming elections, political uncertainty beyond our borders, and ever-evolving animal disease pressures. But rather than simply reacting to these forces, we must proactively shape our own future.

At LRIC, we believe that innovation isn’t just about new technologies—it’s about reimagining how we work together. It’s about being bold, fostering collaboration, and taking risks to drive the kind of change that keeps our industry competitive and resilient.

Change is a freight train. It’s coming, whether we like it or not. So rather than standing in its path, let’s be the ones laying the tracks.
 

Recent Articles

  • Increasing Dietary Lysine (Protein) Intake in Late Gestation Improves Milk Production by Gilts

    Researchers demonstrate that supplementing first-parity sows with standardized ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) via soybean meal in late gestation improves piglet birth weight and milk production. Based on these findings, increasing dietary lysine intake to approximately 15% above NRC recommendations (around 22 g SID Lys/day) is recommended.

    Read More
  • Nutrition at Farrowing: Making the Case for a Blended Gestation-Lactation Diet

    University of Guelph researchers tested a blended gestation–lactation diet for sows during the transition period (one week before and after farrowing), when nutrient needs rise. The findings suggest that providing a blended gestation-lactation diet during the transition period can help sows minimize energy mobilization prior to farrowing, improve energy utilization from the diet, and better support piglets during late gestation and early lactation.

    Read More
  • Feeding Fish for the Future: How Feed Additives Affect Zebrafish Health

    Researchers at the University of Guelph found that while dietary supplements did not significantly affect zebrafish growth or survival, black soldier fly meal showed promising trends for feed efficiency and gut health.

    Read More
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