Rachel Hodges

I will graduate from NC State with my Masters in Animal Science and a co-major in Nutrition Science. I hope to use my research and knowledge of nutrition and research experience in swine to work in the animal production industry in a position that promotes swine nutrition research. The research lab that I am currently in is a precision livestock technology (PLF) lab, in which we conduct research in which we implement livestock technology and aim to improve welfare, productivity, and overall success in swine facilities. For my thesis, I am lucky to have the opportunity to combine both nutrition and PLF into my project by using PLF technology to quantify feed intake. Being in a lab focused on PLF has introduced me to a new side of animal production that shows the potential to greatly improve the animal production industry by improving productivity as well as welfare in the barn. I have had the pleasure to work with many different people from different parts of the animal production industry and I feel that my passion lies in working in a position where I am promoting or performing research on products/supplements/technologies that provide benefits to swine at all stages of life. Communication and continuous improvement are two of the most important factors for me when I consider a future career, and I feel that working to improve swine production would provide me with the opportunity to communicate with others and improve the production industry for both workers and animals.