Meet Alexa Gormley, 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: 25
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Iowa State University; pursuing Ph.D. at North Carolina State University
Hometown: Marion, Iowa
Q. How did you become interested in pursuing a career in the swine industry?
A. I have been interested in animals from a very young age and wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as I can remember. I had almost no experience with livestock prior to my undergraduate degree, but it was the fundamental animal science courses at Iowa State that sparked my interest in working with food animals. I also had an interest in nutrition and learned about careers in the field of animal nutrition. From there I began exploring options as an animal nutritionist that led me to an internship at Schwartz Farms Inc. This time spent in the swine industry gave me a great appreciation for the industry. I fell in love with not only the pigs, but also the people who are so passionate about this work.
Q. Describe your internship experiences.
A. The summer before my senior year in college, I accepted an internship with Schwartz Farms Inc. in Sleepy Eye, Minn. I rotated through all aspects of the production cycle – from breeding and gestation to farrowing and lactation to the nursery, growing and finishing stages. I even had the opportunity to shadow the company nutritionist. I assisted the research teams in collecting data for the final stages of an on-going trial and collected carcass data in a commercial packing plant.
Q. Describe your undergraduate research experiences.
A. At Iowa State, I was an undergraduate research assistant under the direction of Lance Baumgard. I worked in his nutrition lab with both pigs and dairy cattle, investigating the impact of dietary interventions on the physiological responses to stressors like heat stress, acidosis or lipopolysaccharide challenge. I enjoyed working with this team and I learned a lot from the graduate students of this lab.
Q. Tell us about your current studies.
A. My research is broadly focused on understanding how nutritional interventions can enhance intestinal health in nursery pigs. More specifically, I have worked with a variety of pre-, pro- and postbiotics. My goal is to understand how they can influence intestinal health, primarily through their influence on the mucosa-associated microbiota and the intestinal immune response following weaning, both with and without challenge with enteric pathogens. This work is relevant to the swine industry because the nursery period is a difficult transition for pigs and can lead to increased morbidity, mortality and poor production efficiency. By enhancing intestinal health during this period via nutrition, we can set pigs up for success down the line, benefitting both pigs and pig producers.
Q. What is your generation’s greatest challenge?
A. I think the greatest challenge facing my generation is the disconnect between agriculture and the general public. Even though I grew up in Iowa, my first experiences with production agriculture occurred during my undergraduate years. The last person in my family to be involved in production agriculture was my grandfather on my mother’s side. Because of this disconnect from agriculture, the majority of the general public does not understand the goals of modern agriculture, which is often portrayed as harmful for animals and the environment. However, those with firsthand experience on the ins and outs of production agriculture know the depth of the responsibility and stewardship those within the industry have towards their animals and the environment.
