Robert Friendship

Project 18-007

Robert's principal areas of interest are swine health management, disease surveillance and pre-harvest aspects of food safety. He teaches in the undergrad DVM program and the graduate program. He is the swine research co-ordinator for the University of Guelph, and serves on the OVC admissions committee and the Population Medicine grad studies committee and promotion and tenure committee.

Dr. Friendship was presented Ontario Pork's Industry Award in 2019 for his continued dedication to forwarding the swine industry. 

Research Interests:

• Sow reproduction and longevity- methods to synchronize ovulation, and techniques to stimulate synchronized estrus in gilts
• Public health –On-farm control of Salmonella, prevalence of MRSA and influenza and Streptococcus suis and other zoonotic pathogens on pig farms, as well as antimicrobial resistance
• Interaction of enteric diseases and nutritional factors
• Surveillance and epidemiology of swine diseases

Current project: Impact of a specialized feeding regime for replacement gilts on lactation performance

Past project: Minimum duration of teat use required in first lactation to ensure optimal milk yield in second lactation