Meet Christian Ramirez-Camba, 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: 36
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Zamorano University; master’s degrees in animal nutrition and data science, South Dakota State University; currently pursuing Ph.D. at South Dakota State University
Hometown: Guayaquil-Ecuador
Q. How did you become interested in pursuing a career in the swine industry?
A. My family and I started a small pig farm in 2012, which we ran for five years before closing due to rising input costs and falling pork prices in my country of Ecuador. I realized I needed to learn how to produce pigs more efficiently, which led me to South Dakota State University.
Q. How have internships provided you with direction?
A. I did an internship at Texas A&M University, where I learned about meat sensory science and became more involved in the field of animal science.
Q. Did you take part in undergraduate research experiences?
A. The learning by doing academic component in Zamorano University gave me the opportunity to assist in the execution of multiple research projects related to agronomy, biological pest control, food manufacturing, aquaculture, and agribusiness.
Q. Tell us about your current research.
A. My research focuses on the use of mathematical models to describe and simulate biological processes in order to predict nutritional needs, particularly during pregnancy. The objective is to understand the competition for amino acids between tissues (such as the maternal body vs the fetus) and body functions (such as the immune system vs growth). This understanding can help to reduce piglet mortality and increase sow longevity, which are two important issues confronting the swine industry today.
Q. What is your generation’s greatest challenge?
A. We are in the middle of a technological revolution, in which existing technologies are rapidly replaced by new ones. Professionals and producers who do not keep up with technological progress will become redundant in the industry in a relatively short period of time. The greatest challenge for my generation, in my opinion, is continuous innovation.
Read More:
Sow Management in 2022: 7 Trends to Watch
Yeich Explores New Ways to Improve Efficiency, Increase Average Daily Gain
