Meet Dalton Obermier, our latest addition to Farm Journal’s PORK’s Up & Coming Leaders feature. We are showcasing some of the fresh, new voices of the pork industry who combine innovative thought and work ethic with scientific savvy and a passion to make a difference.
Age: 27
Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; master’s degree, North Carolina State University; pursuing Ph.D. at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Hometown: York, Nebraska
Q. How did you become interested in pursuing a career in the swine industry?
A. Since I was young, all I knew were animals, and all I ever wanted to do was work with animals. I grew up on small “farm” outside of York, Neb., with a family that showed/raised horses, cattle and eventually pigs. Pigs were the last species we got into, but quickly became my favorite. I spent my whole life as a child out in our “show” barn. I’d like to think the experiences I had in that barn shaped who I am today – something I’ll forever be indebted to my parents for. Much like other kids with a similar upbringing, I had my heart set on becoming a veterinarian when I grew up so I could become a superhero at helping animals – which is exactly how I perceived my local vets as a child. As opportunities were put in front of me early on in my undergraduate career to work in swine research, my aspirations to become a veterinarian decreased with each day I got to work in our university’s research barn. However, my passion and love for all things pigs has never wavered and I’d be doing myself a disservice to not exploit that as a career.
Q. How have internships provided you with direction?
A. The first internship I had was in the summer of 2014 after my freshman year at UNL as a crop scout for an agronomy company in south-central Nebraska. I enjoyed learning about something out of my element but knew the crop side was out of play in my future. I did two internships with JYGA Technologies (GESTAL); a 12-week stint in 2018 and 10 weeks over the summer of 2020. Both were on-farm internships with heavy data collection and investigation research. In 2018, I worked on a 5,000-head, farrow-to-wean commercial farm in Ontario, Canada studying the impact of hydraulic lift crates on piglet survival and sow productivity. In 2020, I worked on a 5,000-head, farrow-to-wean commercial farm in Nebraska studying the effect of pre-farrow meal time on onset and duration of parturition. I cannot thank Dr. Hyatt Frobose enough for these life-changing experiences and his continued mentorship. The other internship I had was with Smithfield Premium Genetics; collaborating with them during my time at NCSU to study any and all things relating to underlines in sows. This research ultimately turned out to be my master’s thesis project.
Q. Describe any undergraduate research experiences you’ve had.
A. As an undergraduate, I was fortunate to work for Dr. Brett White and Dr. Benny Mote in their respective labs for 2.5 years. Both gave me a chance to see what research was all about, as well as to prove my skills as a power washer.
Q. Tell us about your current research.
A. Within my specific program, I’ve had the chance to work in all different areas of swine research – a strength of Mote’s lab. My dissertation work is in the area of feed efficiency. I am working with a team of collaborators within our university and at DNA Genetics to develop novel phenotypes available for genetic selection in hopes of speeding up the rate of genetic progress towards feed efficiency and conversion. To do that, we utilize the NUtrack livestock monitoring system that employs cameras above pig pens to allow for individual identification and tracking withing a group-housed system. NUtrack is not just tackling issues with improving performance, but also in the welfare sector, nutritionally, and heavily in the areas of behaviors following health-instances and vaccine/treatment response.
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