About

Sarah Ho is the CVM Director of Student Engagement at the College of Veterinary Medicine at NC State University. Her role involves fostering student development and engagement within the college community. The page highlights her contact information and her position, emphasizing her leadership in student engagement and support, but does not provide specific details about her research focus, background, or key contributions in the field of veterinary medicine or related research areas.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Political Science
• Marketing
• Psychology
• Pharmacology
• Internal medicine
• Business
• Animal science
• Anatomy
• Anesthesia
• Geography
• Management
• Biology
• Physical therapy
• Family medicine
• Pathology
• Psychiatry
• Mathematics
• Environmental ethics
• Surgery
• Philosophy
• Nursing
• Risk analysis (engineering)
• Law

Selected publications

• Topical wound-care products and their effects on healing, inflammatory biomarkers, and growth in piglets undergoing castration

  Figshare · 2026-04-21

  otherOpen access

  Abstract Surgical castration is a routine management procedure in swine production that raises welfare concerns due to pain, inflammation, and risk of post-procedure complications. Topical products are commonly applied to castration wounds, but their efficacy in promoting healing and reducing inflammation has not been systematically evaluated. This study investigated and compared the efficacy of five commercially available antiseptic and barrier topical products on wound healing, inflammatory responses, and growth performance in piglets undergoing surgical castration. One hundred and ninety piglets, 3–5 days-old of age, were evaluated under the following treatments: Iodine, Oinkment®, PhytoCare®, Vetericyn®, Zinc Oxide, or intact controls (NoCast). Treatments were applied immediately after castration (D1). Body weights were recorded at baseline (D0; day before castration) and at weaning. Blood samples were collected on days 0 (baseline), 7, and 14 for analysis of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and haptoglobin. Infrared thermography (IRT) was used to assess surface temperature. Histological evaluation of wound healing was performed on subsets of piglets on days 7 and 14. No treatment effects were observed on body weight or pre-weaning survival; castrated piglets grew similarly to intact controls. Concentrations of PGE₂ declined over time (P < 0.001) but did not differ between treatments, suggesting it may have limited utility as an inflammatory biomarker in neonatal pigs. Haptoglobin concentrations increased across all groups by days 7 and 14, including intact controls, indicating minimal specificity for castration-related inflammation. In contrast, IRT consistently distinguished castrated from intact piglets, supporting its potential as a non-invasive indicator of inflammatory responses. Histological evaluations showed expected time-dependent healing progression, with epidermal thickness correlating with wound severity, but no treatment effects were found. None of the tested topical products were superior to others in regard to wound healing or reduced systemic inflammation under a single-application protocol. While safe and without adverse effects on growth, benefits are unclear when compared to a traditional iodine treatment. The current standard operational procedure for castration requires piglets to receive Iodine after castration to reduce infection risk. Future research should explore no treatment option, repeated applications, microbial wound presence, and behavioral indicators to better evaluate post-castration wound-care strategies.

  PublisherDOI

• Topical wound-care products and their effects on healing, inflammatory biomarkers, and growth in piglets undergoing castration

  Figshare · 2026-04-21

  otherOpen access

  Abstract Surgical castration is a routine management procedure in swine production that raises welfare concerns due to pain, inflammation, and risk of post-procedure complications. Topical products are commonly applied to castration wounds, but their efficacy in promoting healing and reducing inflammation has not been systematically evaluated. This study investigated and compared the efficacy of five commercially available antiseptic and barrier topical products on wound healing, inflammatory responses, and growth performance in piglets undergoing surgical castration. One hundred and ninety piglets, 3–5 days-old of age, were evaluated under the following treatments: Iodine, Oinkment®, PhytoCare®, Vetericyn®, Zinc Oxide, or intact controls (NoCast). Treatments were applied immediately after castration (D1). Body weights were recorded at baseline (D0; day before castration) and at weaning. Blood samples were collected on days 0 (baseline), 7, and 14 for analysis of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and haptoglobin. Infrared thermography (IRT) was used to assess surface temperature. Histological evaluation of wound healing was performed on subsets of piglets on days 7 and 14. No treatment effects were observed on body weight or pre-weaning survival; castrated piglets grew similarly to intact controls. Concentrations of PGE₂ declined over time (P < 0.001) but did not differ between treatments, suggesting it may have limited utility as an inflammatory biomarker in neonatal pigs. Haptoglobin concentrations increased across all groups by days 7 and 14, including intact controls, indicating minimal specificity for castration-related inflammation. In contrast, IRT consistently distinguished castrated from intact piglets, supporting its potential as a non-invasive indicator of inflammatory responses. Histological evaluations showed expected time-dependent healing progression, with epidermal thickness correlating with wound severity, but no treatment effects were found. None of the tested topical products were superior to others in regard to wound healing or reduced systemic inflammation under a single-application protocol. While safe and without adverse effects on growth, benefits are unclear when compared to a traditional iodine treatment. The current standard operational procedure for castration requires piglets to receive Iodine after castration to reduce infection risk. Future research should explore no treatment option, repeated applications, microbial wound presence, and behavioral indicators to better evaluate post-castration wound-care strategies.

  PublisherDOI

• Advancing pig welfare together: Standing on the shoulders of Angela

  AASV Annual Meeting · 2025-02-15

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Handling and loading market-ready turkeys – Focus groups exploring the perspectives of live haul crew workers in the turkey industry

  The Journal of Applied Poultry Research · 2025-05-09 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Improper handling and loading of market-ready turkeys during live haul presents significant challenges in the U.S. turkey industry. Bird injuries, such as bruises, scratches, and/or fractured or broken bones compromise animal welfare and lead to economic losses. However, the factors contributing to these handling challenges remain understudied. We aimed to identify barriers to implementing proper handling and loading techniques for market-ready turkeys through focus groups with commercial live haul crews. Participants identified three key themes: animal, farm, and human factors. Animal factors, such as bird sex, age, weight, and mobility, required crew members to modify handling strategies and varied the efficiency of live haul. The farm factors centered on the importance of preparing the barn environment for live haul. Adjusting lighting, ensuring good litter quality, scheduling nighttime shifts, using loading equipment correctly, and maintaining stable temperatures improve bird movement. Human factors included employee training methods, where informal training was the primary way in which crew members learned how to perform their tasks; the physical demands of the job, especially in challenging situations; and specific handling strategies to efficiently move birds and minimize injuries to animals and crew members. Animal, farm, and human factors are often interconnected, which compounds the complexity of ensuring proper animal handling for live haul. Future research in formal training, the design of farms, loading equipment, and personal protective equipment may mitigate the effects of these factors. Additionally, proactive teamwork and communication amongst veterinarians, producers, and live haul crews would better prepare farms for live haul.

  PublisherDOI

• Developing and Evaluating Animal Welfare Case Studies for Veterinary Students

  Journal of Veterinary Medical Education · 2025-03-07

  article

  Within veterinary education, case studies promote critical thinking and provide an opportunity for students to solve problems they may encounter after graduation. Cases are useful for many disciplines within veterinary medicine, but are particularly beneficial for teaching complex, multidisciplinary topics such as animal welfare. There are several resources within the literature describing methods for creating effective cases for a wide variety of educational disciplines. However, animal welfare educators are not often provided guidance on how to develop their own cases and seldom get the opportunity to receive feedback on cases they have created. The goal of this article is to provide animal welfare educators with a resource they can use when creating their own case studies for veterinary students. Our specific objective is to describe the process used to develop and evaluate farm animal welfare case studies for veterinary students.

  PublisherDOI

• Perceptions of swine euthanasia among Brazilian caretakers from non-integrated swine farms

  Frontiers in Veterinary Science · 2025-01-06 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Timely and humane euthanasia is crucial for animal welfare on swine farms, yet challenges persist in its implementation, particularly in Brazil, where the responsibility often falls to caretakers lacking training. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of swine caretakers regarding euthanasia across non-integrated farms (ranging from 1,000 to 3,500 housed sows) and different experience levels (from less than a month to 40 years working with pigs). A total of 117 people directly working with pigs participated in a survey designed to evaluate their decision-making skills, euthanasia competencies, and understanding of Brazilian guidelines for euthanasia methods. Using Cluster analysis, we identified two distinct groups of caretakers: (1) Empathetic, self-sufficient, apathetic about euthanasia; and (2) Empathetic, knowledge seeker, uncomfortable with euthanasia. Both Clusters exhibited high empathy toward pigs and confidence in identifying sick animals but differed in their attitudes toward euthanasia. The risk factor analysis showed a tendency for younger respondents (under 36 years old) and those from smaller farms (less than 2,000 sows) were more likely to belong to Cluster 2, while older caretakers (over 36 years) and those working on larger farms (more than 2,000 housed sows) tended to belong to Cluster 1. Furthermore, a significant proportion of caretakers lacked knowledge of the euthanasia Brazilian guidelines, as evidenced by incorrect responses regarding acceptable euthanasia methods, such as performing cardiac perforation or using non-penetrating captive bolt guns on growing-finishing pigs. This study highlights the variability in caretaker experience and attitudes toward euthanasia, suggesting a critical need for targeted training programs and euthanasia protocols that address both emotional and practical aspects. Improved understanding of caretaker attitudes can enhance both human and animal welfare on farms.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Current issues and the future direction of pig welfare in the United States

  2025-02-15

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Using complex diets post-weaning improves piglet performance and financial outcomes

  Tropical Animal Health and Production · 2025-06-16 · 2 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Novel application of machine learning to enhance untrained and inexperienced evaluators’ diagnosis of acute pain in pigs

  Applied Animal Behaviour Science · 2025-07-22 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Impact of observation duration on behavioural pain assessment and intra-observer reliability in castrated piglets: A pilot study

  Animal Welfare · 2025-01-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Pain monitoring and diagnosis are crucial in seeking to improve animal welfare. This pilot study aimed to investigate the impact of long hours observation on pain assessment and the intra-observer reliability in piglets using video recording. A total of ten piglets, five from the control group (sham castration; pain-free) and five from the pain group (surgical castration; pain-state), were video-recorded immediately post-castration. The videos were randomised and assessed by an experienced observer using the Unesp-Botucatu Pig Composite Acute Pain Scale (UPAPS). The same ten videos were watched at three different times (trial initiation, half-way point, trial termination) with a four-week interval between them. During the four-week interval periods, the observer watched an additional 360 videos from another study to simulate long observation periods. For the pain group, no differences were found in the post hoc test for the UPAPS total score, and most of the UPAPS items. In contrast, for the control group, the UPAPS total score was higher at the half-way time-point, and no differences were found between UPAPS items. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) inferred ‘very good’ intra-observer reliability for UPAPS total score in all time-points of assessment for both groups. Video-recorded pain assessment is a reliable method to assess pain in piglets given that observation duration for pain assessment had only minimal impact on the UPAPS total score, and no differences were found among most of the items. From an animal welfare standpoint, video-recorded pain assessment is a non-invasive method, that can be an additional asset for pain research.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Andréia G. Arruda

  The Ohio State University

  43 shared

• Magnus R. Campler

  The Ohio State University

  40 shared

• Grahame J. Coleman

  29 shared

• Jean‐Loup Rault

  University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

  29 shared

• Anna K. Johnson

  Iowa State University

  25 shared

• Suzanne T. Millman

  Iowa State University

  17 shared

• Kenneth J. Stalder

  Christensen Fund

  17 shared

• Johann F. Coetzee

  Kansas State University

  15 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Animal Science

  University of California, Davis

  2004

• M.S., Animal Science

  University of California, Davis

  2000

• B.S., Animal Science

  University of California, Davis

  1998

Awards & honors

• Member of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (2…
• Member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (2007…
• Diplomate: American College of Animal Welfare
• Humane Farm Animal Care Auditor: Certified Humane
• Poultry Welfare Auditor: Professional Animal Auditors Organi…