By: Casey L. Bradley, Ph.D. - October 15th, 2024; President and Founder of Animistic Â
Happy #Porktober everyone! As we celebrate the wonderful world of pork this month, I’d like to take a moment to highlight one of the rising stars in our field, Aryeri Bardales. Aryeri has been working with us at Animistic while completing her master’s in swine nutrition at South Dakota State University. She’s a brilliant young professional with a comprehensive background in food agroindustry and agriculture. She joined our team through a grant collaboration with Dr. Crystal Levesque and me, and I couldn’t be prouder of her work.
Aryeri also highlighted sessions on systems thinking and the importance of broader system dynamics in agriculture. Speakers such as Tim Goldsmith and HĂ©ctor Menendez discussed how mental models and system dynamics can help manage agricultural resources, from water
footprints to greenhouse gas emissions. Aryeri’s report made it clear that the industry is pushing toward more sustainable practices, something we’re also deeply committed to at
Animistic.Â
One of the most critical discussions at the conference revolved around nutrition, specifically nitrogen utilization and amino acid requirements in swine. Christian Ramirez-Camba presented research that underscored the importance of optimizing nutrient efficiency using mathematical models. The knowledge Aryeri gained from these sessions directly impacts our work as we continue to focus on feed formulation that enhances both pig performance and sustainability.The Future of Swine Nutrition
What truly stood out to Aryeri—and something I wholeheartedly agree with—was the focus on precision feeding technologies. These advancements allow us to tailor feeding strategies to meet the exact needs of individual pigs, reducing waste, improving animal health, and boosting overall sustainability. It’s an exciting time for the industry, and I’m thrilled that Aryeri is at the forefront of these developments. The work she’s doing ties into the larger picture of where swine nutrition is headed: more efficiency, more sustainability, and smarter use of resources.Â
For Aryeri, attending the Minnesota Nutrition Conference wasn’t just about presenting her research; it was about bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical application. I’m incredibly proud of her growth, and I’m excited to see how her work continues to evolve here at Animistic. As we move forward this #Porktober, we’re reminded that the future of swine nutrition is in the hands of young professionals like Aryeri—professionals who are dedicated to
innovation and sustainable practices.
Thank you, Aryeri, for representing Animistic and contributing to the advancement of swine nutrition. We’re lucky to have you on our team, and I can’t wait to see where your research takes you next
