Meet Zhong-Xing (Johnson) Rao, 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: 26
Education: Bachelor’s degree, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan; master’s degree and pursuing PhD in applied swine nutrition at Kansas State University
Hometown: Hsinchu, Taiwan
Q. How did you become interested in pursuing a career in the swine industry?
A. I grew up wanting to be a vet. However, after understanding the animal science industry more through classes and internship experiences, I realized I was more interested in the swine industry – especially nutrition and management. It is an industry with opportunity and challenges that will allow me to grow. I really enjoy what I am doing and am looking forward to what I will experience in the future.
Q. Did you have any internship experiences?
A. I interned with Kanvergen Inc., a premix and animal feed additive company in Taiwan. I learned about swine nutrition, how a premix company functions and what a nutritionist and technical services will face in the field. I also interned with Zheng-Gang Breeding Swine and Da-Fong Swine Farm. I learned about how a 3,000-sow farm with their own in-farm feed mill functions, especially the management side of it.
Q. What has helped you gain swine industry experience?
A. I grew up in the city without swine experience until I was enrolled in the animal science department for my bachelor’s degree.
Q. Did you take part in undergraduate research experiences?
A. I worked on several research projects during my undergraduate experience, including a microorganism study on probiotics’ effects on animals, the effect of Phellinus igniarius on chicken immunology and performance, microorganism Next Generation Sequencing and the protective effects of B. pilosa-derived polyacetylenes through gut microbiome on Eimeria-infected chicken.
Q. Tell us about your current research.
A. I am studying the effects of fumonisin-contaminated corn and mycotoxin products on growth performance of 9- to 28-kg nursery pigs. Fumonisin contamination in corn has been an emerging issue in animal feed production. Pigs fed fumonisin-contaminated corn have reduced growth performance, and damage to the liver, lungs, kidneys and gastrointestinal structure. Our research evaluated the concentration of fumonisin on nursery pigs and tested several commercial products’ effect on mitigating the negative effect of fumonisin to provide information to producers on this emerging problem. I am also evaluating nutritional strategies to slow growth rate and then induce compensatory growth in 90-kg finishing pigs. When the U.S. pork industry experienced a substantial reduction in the ability to process market pigs due to packing plant closures during the pandemic, it became a major issue as pigs grew beyond their intended market weight making them too large for the infrastructure of the facility. This research allows producers to control the growth rate of pigs to minimize economic hardship. My third project evaluates the effect of sow feeder type on sow bodyweight, litter performance and feeder cleaning criteria. During the sow lactation period, maximizing feed intake is critical to prevent sow body reserve mobilization and sustain milk production for litter growth. It also affects sow longevity and subsequent reproductive performance. Deciding an optimal feeder for sow farm is crucial for the sow performance and economic profitability.
Q. What is your generation’s greatest challenge?
A. Biosecurity. Globalization has torn down the borders between countries and people, but it also allows the transmission of diseases, such as African swine fever. Moreover, with the increasing restriction on antibiotic use, biosecurity becomes more important for producers to produce high-quality pork. I’m also concerned about the increasingly stringent regulations on animals and the environment and how we can find the balance between profitability and responsibility.
More from Farm Journal’s PORK:
Research Could Help Identify Infertility in Breeding Hogs Earlier
Technology Can Improve Farrowing Rates, Offset Labor Shortage
Research Aims to Weed Out Gilts Who May Have Low Reproductive Success
