About APRIL
The Australasian Pork Research Institute Ltd. (APRIL) is a participant-funded, independent organisation committed to advancing science within the Australian pork industry. We invest in research and development, education and training, and commercialisation to support long-term sustainability of pork production and deliver strong returns for our stakeholders.
Funding opportunities
APRIL offers a number of funding opportunities throughout the year for research projects, education and training.
OPEN NOW:
ALWAYS AVALIABLE:
- Expression of interest for APRIL Kickstart Program
- APRIL Commercialisation Projects
Visit the Funding Opportunities page for more information
Education and training opportunities
A key part of APRIL’s Strategic Plan is education and training, to assist with human capacity building for the Australasian pork industry.
APRIL and APL have established a joint Australian Pork Industry Education and Training Committee (APIETC) that provides direction and approvals to scholarships and awards relating to both funding bodies.
OPEN NOW:
APIETC is now inviting applications for a range of scholarships and awards commencing in 2026.
Applications APIETC awards close 23rd January 2026.
Latest news from APRIL
APRIL has now launched a dedicated LinkedIn profile to share updates on supported research, highlight funding opportunities, and keep members connected with key developments in the pig science sector.
Keep up with the latest APRIL news by following our LinkedIN page
The APRIL Research and Development Advisory Committee (RDAC) met on Thursday 23rd of October and reviewed 29 Expressions of Interest.
Congratulations to the EOI applicants invited to submit Full Research Proposals to APRIL Industry Priority Projects. Find out more about applying for a full research proposal here.
Winner of the 2025 Enterprise Award Announced!
The APRIL Enterprise Award will be granted to an individual (or individuals) working in the pork industry that can demonstrate innovation and excellence in one or more of the following themes:
- Innovations resulting in new products, methodologies and/or services.
- Potential for accelerated adoption of an innovation to improve performance and efficiency.
- Potential for commercialisation opportunities through APRIL.
Congratulations to Musleh Uddin, a PhD candidate from the University of Adelaide, for winning the APRIL Enterprise Award for his project application: Shifting farrowing to working hours enhances neonatal supervision and viability.
Learn more about the winning application here
APRIL project 5A-111
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kate Plush (SunPork Group)
New evidence suggests that something as simple as the grind size of feed may influence piglet development before birth.
Coarser feed particles often bypass digestion in the small intestine and reach the hindgut, where they serve as fermentable material for beneficial microbes. This hindgut fermentation produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which has been linked to improved fetal growth in rat studies.
Research question: Could feeding sows a coarser-ground diet during gestation (with 40% of particles >1 mm) enhance piglet growth and development in utero?
See full post here
Industry news
Catch a summary of APRIL projects A3A-103, A3A-104 and A3A-105 in the latest Australian Pork Newspaper:
The APRIL Single Diet Projects – Pages 6 and 7
