Aligning Nutrition with Genetic Progress in Pigs: Optimizing Health, Growth, and Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

Modern pig genetics have advanced rapidly, with maternal lines becoming increasingly prolific and paternal lines being bred for lean growth and feed efficiency. These improvements demand equally progressive nutritional strategies to fully realize the pigs’ genetic potential, while safeguarding sow health, piglet vitality, and carcass quality. Modern nutrition must balance reproduction, growth, and sustainability challenges, providing precision feeding solutions for highly productive genotypes.

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight original research and reviews that address the complex interplay between genetics, nutrition, health, and productivity in modern swine systems. We invite contributions on the following topics:

• Stage-specific nutrient requirements for prolific sows, neonatal piglets, and fast-growing finishing pigs.
• Feeding effects on animal health and longevity, including immunity, reproduction, and sow survivability.
• Impacts of nutrition on pork yield and quality, especially in lean, high-efficiency genotypes.
• Novel feed ingredients, additives, and technologies to support modern breeding objectives.
• Precision feeding and system-level strategies for sustainability, including nutrient efficiency and environmental impact reduction.

By integrating the realities of modern pig genetics with nutrition research, this Special Issue aims to define pathways for optimizing both productivity and sustainability in swine production.

Dr. Eric Weaver
Guest Editor

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