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David Newman conducts ultrasounds on swine to determine
the percentage of muscle. He says ultrasound is a great
selection tool for breeding stock and meat quality. James
Curley photo
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Unlocking the Secrets to Better Pork
By Blaire Leible and Jason Jenkins
If there's one thing David Newman knows about quality pork, it
is that pigs need their rest. How Newman, a graduate student in
animal sciences
at the University of Missouri-Columbia, came to learn this invaluable
bit of information is the result of a unique opportunity afforded
to few students.
“Nutreco
Swine Research Centre in the Netherlands called to say they were
interested in doing a large research project on pork quality and
would like me to help coordinate the project,” Newman said.
Newman's faculty advisor, Dr. Eric Berg, associate
professor of animal science in the College
of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and chair of the
Commercial
Agriculture Meat Industry Focus Team, had recommended him
to Nutreco in the summer of 2003 when the University hosted the
Reciprocal Meats Conference, an annual event where meat scientists
gather to discuss topics involving the meat industry, present
new research, and catch up.
Berg felt Newman would be an excellent candidate
for the project.
“David is a student who is mature beyond
his years,” Berg said. “He has the ability to take
the material presented to him in a classroom setting and connect
the dots in a real-world application.”
During the international internship, Newman
conducted a study testing how stress affects pork quality. Results
from the study, which involved nearly 400 pigs, are published
in the February issue of the Journal of Animal Science.
“After my internship, I traveled back
to Europe in August to the Netherlands and then onto Helsinki,
Finland, to present the research at the International Congress
of Meat Science and Technology,” Newman said. “This
was a great opportunity to present the research to over 300 of
the world's most prominent meat scientists. The paper and project
were a huge success.”
MU's meat sciences program prepares students
for internships and other research projects by teaching them that
meat is about much more than just being a butcher.
“We teach students that meat science
starts long before a steak is cut and continues long after,”
Berg said. “Muscle is meat so everything that influences
an animal's ability to grow muscle ultimately influences the meat.
Muscle and muscle biology are such a dynamic system that you really
need to look at the big picture when dealing with them. David
is able to look at things from this big picture perspective.”
Newman says his education at MU is the reason
he got the opportunity to take part in the research project.
“The classes I have taken have been
a great asset to me,” Newman said. “I also have been
working for Dr. Berg for several years on various meat science
research projects — mainly pork-related — and I have
been employed by the University Meat Lab. Through the meat lab
and Dr. Berg's lab, I have gained a lot of valuable experience.”
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Last Update:
November 15, 2007
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