KGSP Goal of study and study plan
Hello! here I am again, posting another essay for my KGSP Goal of study and study plan, hoping that you guys can help me improve this. Thanks you very much for spending your precious time reading and correcting my work.
Battling with the negative effects of climate change for further efficiency in swine industry
Heat stress has detrimental effects on the performance and welfare of pigs especially to modern strains with high growth and reproductive potentials, it compromises food security and self-sufficiency. It is a challenge not only in tropical and subtropical areas but also in temperate regions. During heat stress, pigs reduce their appetite to reduce their heat production and this results in the decrease of growth in growing-finishing pigs and reproductive performance in sows. Hence, this will be the focus of my research if I'll be given opportunity to pursue a Master's Degree in Animal Science and Biotechnology at Seoul National University.
During my undergraduate studies, my field of specialization was production and management. Through that, I was able to appreciate the importance of good management practices in improving the productivity and profitability of swine enterprise. While working, I got exposed to different pig farm settings. Swine subsector is the second largest among the agricultural sectors in the Philippines, with backyard farms dominating in the total hog population. What was commonly considered as big challenge for both scale was the negative effects of climate change. Daytime temperature in top producing regions ranges from 26 to 38 °C while relative humidity, 69 to 84 percent. These conditions would normally cause heat stress to pigs especially that they lack functional sweat glands. Commercial farms can afford tunnel ventilation technology to reduce building ambient temperature but that is not the case for backyard farms.
Although hog production is increasing annually, further efficiency and productivity may be achieved if heat stress can be alleviated. In my research, I would like to either explore genetic selection to improve heat tolerance or nutritional modification to reduce dietary heat increment and increase dietary nutrient density. Climate change will likely increase the average ambient temperatures in the future and will just worsen heat stress problems unless our pigs develop a mechanism to adapt quickly and naturally to abrupt temperature changes. I will apply all the principles that I can acquire from studying the Program in Animal Science and Biotechnology to lessen the negative effects of heat stress in pigs. This research will benefit not only commercial farms but also backyard farms in temperate and tropical areas.
All these will be done during my academic years in Korea. I believe that conducting this research will be fruitful with the aid of Seoul National University's advanced biotechnology information, expertise and facilities, including their partner research institutes. After conducting this research in Korea, I will publish the paper. I am also going to validate the results in the Philippine setting and make contribution to my country's economy.
