Candido Pomar, Ph.D.

Reseach Scientist

My research focuses on precision feeding and nutrition and the evaluation of carcass quality. My research team and I aim, with precision feeding, to improve the efficiency by which dietary nutrient are used by developing feeding systems that allow pigs to be fed individually with diets adapted daily to their needs. We can thus produce the same amount of meat with 25% less protein and by reducing by 40% the environmental load of the production and by more than 8% feeding cost. Precision feeding is a key component of the precision farming systems. At the request of the industry, we have also been involved in the assessment of the carcass market value and the verification and updating of the pig carcass classification system.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

2000 College Street, Sherbrooke, Quebec

Current research and/or projects

Reduction of nitrogen and phosphorus waste and maximization of gross revenues from feeder pig production using a new numeric method
Yield comparisons
Phosphore-CRF, Minimizing the phosphorous excretion of growing-finishing pigs by optimizing phosphorus intake from environmental, economical and animal perspectives.
Optimization of diets and management of slaughter pig production systems
Development of a combined premix formulation method to be used in multiphase feeding systems for growing pigs
Estimation of the cutability and lean content of pig carcasses.
Development of a method for objective slaughter line evaluation of muscle content in cull cow carcasses to be used in establishing a carcass classification and producer payment system.

Research and/or project statements

Fields of Science

Learn more about my research and how it impacts you by visiting Fields of Science, a campaign featuring 11 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists from coast to coast.

Key publications

Andretta, I., Pomar, C., Rivest, J., Pomar, J., Lovatto, P.A., and Radünz, J. (2014). "Effet de l’alimentation de précision sur les performances, l’excrétion de nutriments et le coût d’alimentation du porc charcutier.", Journées de la Recherche Porcine en France, 46, pp. 107-112.
2014 - View publication details
Pomar, C., Pomar, J., Rivest, J., Cloutier, L., Letourneau-Montminy, M.P., Andretta, I., and Hauschild, L. (2014). "Estimating real-time individual amino acid requirements in growing-finishing pigs : towards a new definition of nutrient requirements?", in Gous, R. and Kyriazakis, I. (eds.) - Modelling in pig and poultry production, CABI Publishing, Oxon, UK, pp. 157-174.
2014 - View publication details
Pomar, C. (2014). "The utilization of mathematical models to improve swine production.", VI Congresso Latino-Americano de Nutrição Animal. Colégio Brasileiro de Nutrição Animal – CBNA, Estância de São Pedro, Brazil, September 23-26, 2014. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Pomar, C., Rivest, J., Andretta, I., and Hauschild, L. (2014). "Modelling real-time individual lysine requirements in growing-finishing pigs: model update and validation (Extended Abstracts of papers presented at the 8th International Workshop on Modelling Nutrient Digestion and Utilisation in Farm Animals).", Animal Production Science, 54, pp. xiv. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Kipper, M., Pomar, C., and Marcoux, M. (2014). "Precision of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements obtained on pork half-carcasses.", Journal of Animal Science, 92(Suppl. 2), pp. 131. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Gonzalo, E., Letourneau-Montminy, M.P., Narcy, A., Bernier, J.F., and Pomar, C. (2014). "Effect of phosphorus and calcium depletion and repletion sequences on growth performance, bone mineralization, and endogenous phosphorus losses in pigs.", Journal of Animal Science, 92(Suppl. 2), pp. 84. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Font-i-Furnols, M. and Pomar, C. (2014). "Prédiction du rendement de la carcasse et de la composition du jambon à partir d’images de tomographie à rayons X de porcs vivants durant leur croissance.", Journées de la Recherche Porcine en France, 46, pp. 51-52.
2014 - View publication details
Font-i-Furnols, M., Ouellet, F., Larochelle, H., Marcoux, M., and Pomar, C. (2014). "Détermination de la composition de la carcasse de porc et la composition des coupes principales selon différentes méthodes d’analyses statistiques.", Journées de la Recherche Porcine en France, 46, pp. 53-54.
2014 - View publication details
Letourneau-Montminy, M.P., Narcy, A., Crenshaw, J.D., Dourmad, J.Y., and Pomar, C. (2014). "Modelling the metabolic fate of dietary phosphorus and calcium in growing pigs and the dynamics of body composition: model evaluation and inversion (Extended Abstracts of papers presented at the 8th International Workshop on Modelling Nutrient Digestion and Utilisation in Farm Animals).", Animal Production Science, 54, pp. lvii. (Abstract)
2014 - View publication details
Andretta, I., Pomar, C., Rivest, J., Andretta, I., Lovatto, P.A., Neto, J.R., Pomar, J., Rivest, J. (2014). The impact of feeding growing–finishing pigs with daily tailored diets using precision feeding techniques on animal performance, nutrient utilization, and body and carcass composition. Journal of Animal Science, [online] 92(9), 3925-3936. http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2014-7643
2014 - View publication details
Chantigny, M.H., Angers, D.A., Rochette, P., Pomar, C., Pelster, D.E. (2014). Evidencing overwinter loss of residual organic and clay-fixed nitrogen from spring-applied, 15N-labelled pig slurry. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, [online] 94(1), 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/CJSS2013-072
2014 - View publication details
Létourneau-Montminy, M.P., Pomar, C., Lovatto, P.A., Létourneau-Montminy, M.P. (2014). Apparent total tract digestibility of dietary calcium and phosphorus and their efficiency in bone mineral retention are affected by body mineral status in growing pigs, 92(9), 3914-3924. http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2013-7320
2014 - View publication details
Pomar, C., Pomar, J., Dubeau, F., Joannopoulos, E., Dussault, J.P. (2014). The impact of daily multiphase feeding on animal performance, body composition, nitrogen and phosphorus excretions, and feed costs in growing-finishing pigs. Animal, [online] 8(5), 704-713. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1751731114000408
2014 - View publication details
Pomar, C. (2013 Internal). Development of an innovative precision farming system for swine. Update the actual model for real-time prediction of feed intake, weight gain and predicting nutrient requirements.First Canadian Swine Cluster Final Report. (Report)
2013 - View publication details
Pomar, C. (2013 Internal). Development of an innovative precision farming system for swine. Calibrate the model for optimal lysine and threonine. First Canadian Swine Cluster Final Report. (Report)
2013 - View publication details
Joannopoulos, É., Pomar, C., Dussault, J.-P., and Dubeau, F. (2013). "Impact économiques et environnementaux de différents programmes de formulation et d’alimentation chez le porc charcutier.", 45es Journées de la Recherche Porcine, Paris, France, February 5-6, 2013, pp. 161-162.
2013 - View publication details
Cloutier, L., Letourneau-Montminy, M.P., Bernier, J.F., Pomar, J., and Pomar, C. (2013). "L'alimentation de précision: effet d'un protocole de déplétion-réplétion en lysine chez le porc en croissance.", Journée d'information scientifique en productions animales, Drummondville, QC, Canada, February 27, 2013, pp. 32-33.
2013 - View publication details
Pomar, C. (2013 Internal). Development of an innovative precision farming system for swine. Modelling phosphorus and calcium metabolism and develop a system approach for estimating individual daily requirements. First Canadian Swine Cluster Final Report. (Report)
2013 - View publication details
Pomar, C., Rivest, J., Hauschild, L., Andretta, I., Cloutier, L., Letourneau-Montminy, M.P., Bernier, J.F., and Pomar, J. (2013). "Precision feeding on an individual basis: are we heading towards a new definition of nutritional needs in grower-finisher pigs?", 49th Annual Eastern Nutrition Conference of the Animal Nutrition Association of Canada (ANAC), Hôtel Château Laurier, Québec City, QC, Canada, May 15-16, 2013.
2013 - View publication details
Cloutier, L., Letourneau-Montminy, M.P., Bernier, J.F., Pomar, J., and Pomar, C. (2013). "Effet d'un protocole de déplétion-réplétion en lysine chez le porc en croissance.", Journées de la Recherche Porcine en France, 45, pp. 149-154.
2013 - View publication details