Research being conducted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) should lead to happier, healthier pigs and better quality pork on supermarket shelves. Ms Rebecca Doyle, an associate lecturer with the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga will be working with Australian Pork Limited (APL) to help farmers and veterinarians to better assess the wellbeing of their pigs. “It is hoped this research will develop some best-practice standards which producers can adopt to the benefit of their profitability and the welfare of their pigs that suffer pain or sickness,” Ms Doyle said. “The research will be conducted on-farm and at specialised research facilities. The aims include developing a postgraduate researcher with specialist expertise in pig welfare and to provide industry with practical, easy to use tools for assessing the wellbeing of pigs. Ultimately, healthier pigs will lead to better quality pork for consumers.” The project is due to start in March 2011 and will continue for three years. Ms Doyle is also a member of the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation - a collaborative alliance between CSU and Industry & Investment NSW.