Pigs saving lives hard hit by COVID-19

Pigs and COVID-19. We’ve all been hearing about the unfortunate shutdown of various pork packing and processing plants these last two weeks but pigs are playing another role in the current pandemic as well. In fact, it is a rather unexpected role at that. In this episode, Feedstuffs editor Sarah Muirhead talks with University of Illinois professor Dr. Matt Wheeler about the role pigs and his team are playing in an experiment that could be save many lives.  Wheeler, who has built and tested lifesaving medical devices animals before, was called upon last month test a new emergency ventilator that is designed to save lives of COVID-19 patients.“If this device saves one person, we did our job. Hopefully it'll save a whole lot more than that,” says Wheeler, professor in the department of animal sciences at University of Illinois. Recent Feedstuffs In Focus Episodes  on COVID-19Talking COVID-19 and the impact on livestock marketsNCBA CEO talks COVID19, Brazil beef, GIPSAFrontline observations from animal food industry in COVID-19 battleFarm Bureau economist discusses COVID-19 impactCOVID-19 emergency school nutrition campaign takes on hungerCOVID-19 takes toll on packing plant workers, operationsFor more information on this and other stories, visit Feedstuffs online.Follow Feedstuffs on Twitter @Feedstuffs, or join the conversation via Facebook.