UNIVERSITY of Adelaide Animal Science graduate Tanya Nowland was announced the recipient of the 2015 Ronald J Lienert Memorial Scholarship, by Lienert Australia's Nick Lienert, at the recent SA Pig Industry Day dinner in Tanunda.
This prestigious scholarship is funded by the SA pig industry to support a student enrolled full-time in an honours program at the University of Adelaide's Roseworthy campus, with the research component focused on an aspect of the pig industry.
The scholarship was established by the SA industry in memory of Ronald Lienert, who is remembered by the state and national pig industry through his contribution to industry agripolitical issues, his membership of industry boards and committees, his establishment of Lienert Australia within agribusiness, and his impact on the genetic improvement of the Australian pig herd.
Selection of the successful scholarship recipient is made according to a combination of academic merit, demonstrated interest or past experience in the pork industry or animal agriculture and the university's approval of a pork industry honours program of relevance and value to the SA p ork industry.
Miss Nowland completed her Bachelor of Animal Science degree at Roseworthy Campus in 2014.
During the 2014-15 summer, she completed an Australian Pork Ltd-sponsored Undergraduate Industry Placement Award at Greg and Diana Parson's Mallee Park Piggery at Port Vincent on Yorke Peninsula.
This experience sparked Miss Nowland's interest in pig science and production, and convinced her to remain at Roseworthy to undertake her 2015 honours program.
Her honours research project will focus on attempting to improve the survival of low birthweight, anoxic piglets through the oral/nasal administration of melatonin and/or caffeine shortly after birth to improve piglet vigour and reduce the risk of death through low colostrum intake and overlay.
Her trials will be conducted at the university's 300-sow Roseworthy piggery.
Earlier, during the SA Pig Industry Day, 2014 Ronald J Lienert Scholarship recipient Jemma Seyfang presented findings from her 2014 honours project, which focused on the value of human chorionic gonadotropin supplementation of weaned sows to maintain early pregnancy during periods of heat stress and associated low daily feed intakes.
Miss Seyfang graduated with a Bachelor in Animal Science in 2013, honours in 2014 and was now in a PhD program.