Meet Daniel Moraes, 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: 39
Education: Master’s degree and DVM, University of Londrina, Brazil; MBA, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil; master’s degree, Iowa State University; and recently completed Ph.D. at Iowa State University
Hometown: Sorocaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Q. How did you become interested in pursuing a career in the swine industry?
A. I became interested in pursuing a career in the swine industry beginning of my DVM at the University of Londrina (UEL). I had an animal virology course, and two professors, Dr. Alice Alfieri and Dr. Amauri Alfieri, shared about opportunities in the poultry and pork industry. Then, I started working mainly with porcine enteric diseases as rotavirus in the Virology Laboratory in UEL, Brazil under their guidance. I also participated in some swine nutrition trials on the farm at the university under the guidance of Dr. Caio Abercio da Silva. Then, I started working in a production system in Brazil and returned to pursue a master’s with Dr. Caio Abercio da Silva before continuing my path at Iowa State University.
Q. Describe your internship experiences.
A. My internship experience was on a farm in the State of Parana in Brazil, an important State in Brazil for the swine industry. That farm has been recognized for high productivity performance and received an award for one of the best breeding herds in Brazil in the number of weaned piglets by sow by a swine production management platform. In addition, it was my first experience with the complete feeding system from gestation until the growing finish phase. This vaccine trial experience and feeding system were an amazing opportunity for me to learn.
Q. Describe your undergraduate research experiences.
A. In addition to my vaccine trial experience, I led a vaccine trial related to a porcine enteric virus, directly connected with my experience in the laboratory. We vaccinated the sows and gilts during the last gestation phase, about 85 to 90 days, and the idea was to understand this vaccine response in the piglets by piglet mortality, diarrhea score and piglet weight at weaning. It was a great experience being exposed to a research trial on a commercial farm and applying the knowledge obtained during my undergraduate education.
Q. Describe other swine-related experiences.
A. While I was working in the production system in Brazil, we conducted research trials for pharmaceutical products to understand how they could present results under the pig farm challenges. In addition, we performed swine nutrition trials to assess average daily gain and feed conversion in the breeding herd phase from birth until nursery stage. Applying these trials in a farm context helped us better understand how to use a product or adjust management. One of the biggest takeaways from these trials and my experience within a production system in Midwestern Brazil was what my boss used to tell me: “Diseases can be related to management, and in the end, we need to go deep and understand why that challenge is happening.” I also worked in a Midwest production system and in swine sales for a period of time.
Q. Tell us about your current studies.
A. My PhD focused on the Influenza A virus (IAV) in the swine population in two main areas: diagnostics opportunities and sample types, and IAV surveillance. I studied macroepidemiological aspects of the IAV in the U.S. I also performed a longitudinal study through the Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), in which we monitored the pigs and farm employees in sow farms and nurseries to better understand IAV diversity and how it changes over time at the human-swine interface. For example, in one study, we assessed the use of family oral fluids for IAV in breeding herds. We collected samples from the piglets and the sow. Then, we conducted a second study to assess the probability of IAV detection in pooled samples. We observed that population-based samples such as udder wipes and family oral fluids were the most cost-efficient for IAV testing, and in the pooling study, when practitioners have fixed testing budgets, pooling should be considered in low prevalence scenarios to improve coverage. Additionally, I assessed manure pumping effects on virus detection in wean-to-finish pig sites. This applied information can impact the swine industry make a better decision when testing for IAV by presenting more testing options and sharing more information about those options.
Q. What is your generation’s greatest challenge?
A. I believe the greatest challenge is that students may not be exposed to swine production, especially swine management, because they do not have the opportunity to grow up in it or have an extended experience on a commercial swine farm. Exposure to swine production is critical for our generation to learn, understand why there are challenges, and then later look for solutions. One important step is to work as a team and be around great people and the environment. It also helps to be motivated, ask for feedback and know how to work on a team. A second challenge is communication skills and communicating clearly at different levels to diverse audiences, from the farm employee, farm manager or owner to swine company and university leaders.
I believe our generation needs to be patient with themselves, be aware that we are leaning, and realize it takes time. We need to learn how to listen to determine what the swine producer needs, how to communicate with the producer and farm employees, how to be focused on solving problems and to be open to constructive feedback. When students are open and willing to learn more, it’s important to realize that receiving feedback will not always come in the expected way. Focus on the main goal of those conversations to solve the issues at hand. Having this mindset is a good and healthy growing process for our generation going into the swine industry. Expectations may be difficult, but it is part of solving problems.
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