The Swine it Podcast Show

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Marisa Rotolo, director of swine health at the National Pork Board, and Dr. Mary Battrell, veterinarian at Murphy Family Farms, discuss PEDV elimination as the next step for the National Swine Health Strategy. They explain why PEDV was prioritized, how coordinated biosecurity and regional efforts can support elimination, and what this work means fo...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Clinton Monchuk, Executive Director at Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, discusses consumer concerns around agriculture, food prices, production practices, and public trust. He explains why food inflation is tied to inputs, transportation, and global disruptions, how social media shapes perceptions of farming, and why producers need to tell practical...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Mark Whitney, Director of Technical Sales at QualiTech, and Dr. Kane Miller, Founder and CIO of Axitan, discuss orally supplementing additional iron to piglets prior to weaning. They cover iron status, hemoglobin levels, gel-based delivery, piglet performance, and practical implementation in commercial swine production. Listen now on all major plat...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Brent Pepin, Director of Swine Health at the National Pork Board, explains the long-term strategy for PRRS elimination in the United States. He discusses national priorities, regional collaboration, farm-level planning, biosecurity, and practical frameworks that support healthier herds and stronger disease prevention. Listen now on all major platfo...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Juan Steibel from Iowa State University explains how precision livestock farming uses sensors and real-time data to improve animal productivity and management. He discusses how these technologies help teams monitor animals in real time, transform barn-level signals into better decisions, and connect precision livestock farming with phenomics to imp...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Dustin Oedekoven, Chief Veterinarian at the National Pork Board, explains the producer-led National Swine Health Strategy and why it is essential for improving U.S. swine health. He discussed industry collaboration, the strategy's initial priorities, why PEDV is the first focus for elimination, research initiatives, and the long-term vision for...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Grant Weaver, Livestock Technical Services Veterinarian at Aurora Pharmaceutical, explains how reproductive technologies can improve breeding herd efficiency. He discusses estrus and ovulation synchronization, fixed-time insemination, labor efficiency, pig flow, and the management conditions required for successful implementation. Learn how reprodu...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Vahab Farzan from the University of Guelph explains why post-weaning diarrhea remains a major challenge for swine production. He discusses genetics, gut microorganisms, immunity, diagnostics, and targeted vaccination strategies to improve disease prevention. Listen now on all major platforms! “Some pigs are genetically resistant to pathogenic E. co...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Kevin Liu, senior expert in nutrition, explores the innovation and evolution of trace minerals in animal production. He discusses why trace minerals are essential, the limitations of traditional inorganic sources, and how organic, encapsulated trace minerals and phytase can improve nutrient availability, enhance feed quality, reduce mineral waste,...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Brent Pepin, Director of Swine Health at the National Pork Board, explains how a systematic review of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus elimination methods is helping shape future herd health strategies. He discusses evidence-based farm and regional approaches, research gaps, and practical guidance to support informed decision-mak...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Mark Knauer, Swine Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University, discusses nutritional strategies to improve sow livability and piglet outcomes. He shares research insights on vitamin programs, antioxidant support, and nutrition-based approaches in commercial production systems. Dr. Knauer highlights opportunities to reduce mortality, en...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Harry Siemens, a farm writer and columnist, shares stories and lessons from a lifetime spent around agriculture and the swine industry. From the evolution of biosecurity to the importance of building public trust, Harry explains why clear communication matters more than ever. He also discusses leadership, consumer engagement, and what the next generati...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Aaron Juergens, Owner of Sunburst Valley Farms, explains how artificial intelligence and digital technologies are helping swine producers improve decision-making, optimize labor, and reduce operational costs. He shares practical examples of using farm data, remote monitoring, and predictive tools to improve efficiency across hog production. Listen now...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Hans Stein, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, discusses calcium and phosphorus requirements for developing gilts and gestating sows. He explains digestible mineral formulation, discoveries in calcium nutrition, limestone variability, phytase interactions, and why sow requirements may be higher than expected. Listen now on all major...

In this special rerun episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Gary Rohrer, Research Geneticist at USDA-ARS, shares findings from his research on identifying early indicators of lameness in gilts. He explains how pressure mats, camera-based behavior tracking, and emerging technologies can support genetic selection for sow longevity and productivity. Learn how movement data might change how produc...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Scott Dee, Emeritus Director at Pipestone Research and Emeritus Professor at the University of Minnesota, explains what it will take to create a world without PRRS. He discusses next-generation biosecurity, producer-led collaboration, US SHIP, strategic pig movement, and why belief is the missing piece for PRRS elimination. Listen now on all major...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Edison Magalhaes from Iowa State University explains how data science can turn swine production records into practical decisions. He discusses data integration, analytics models, disease impact measurement, economic modeling, and real-time alerts that help producers move from raw averages to proactive herd management. Listen now on all major platfo...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Brittney Kokinos, PhD candidate and Researcher I at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, discusses how different vitamin D metabolites, including 25(OH)D3, influence physiological responses in nursery pigs. She explains vitamin D functions, interactions with calcium and phosphorus, sources and metabolism, and shares research findings evaluating growth,...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Crystal Levesque from South Dakota State University breaks down choline’s essential functions in swine nutrition and why it continues to hold value across production phases. Dr. Levesque clarifies its essential biological roles, compares common choline sources, addresses practical considerations in feed manufacturing, and explains why sow diets sti...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Neil DeBuse from Kalmbach Feeds and Dr. Steve Tousignant from Vaxxinova US discuss PRRS management strategies, recombination risks, whole genome sequencing, and the role of autogenous immunization programs in swine systems. They highlight practical approaches to improving immunity, reducing outbreaks, and advancing PRRS control across production sy...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, as producers prepare for rising temperatures and seasonal heat stress challenges, Dr. Jay Johnson from the University of Missouri explains how genomic selection can support thermal tolerance in pigs without sacrificing productivity and become part of a broader strategy to improve performance and support animal welfare. He discusses why body temperature...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Maria Walsh, Chief Operating Officer at Biofractal, explains how transcriptomics and AI are helping swine producers better understand the gap between genetic potential and commercial performance. Dr. Walsh discusses metabolic efficiency, disease resilience, PRRS challenges, and practical on-farm biological insights using blood samples and AI-powere...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Janice Siegford from Michigan State University discusses how precision livestock farming data can support pig health, welfare, transparency, and decision making. She explains why data ownership, privacy, consumer perception, and cost sharing must be addressed as technology becomes more common on farms. Listen now on all major platforms. “Precision...

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Brigitte Davenport, Director of Sow Indiana Region at Country View Family Farms, shares practical perspectives on biosecurity execution in swine systems. She discusses grow finish challenges, transportation risks, trailer sanitation, site design, and team buy-in. The episode also examines how artificial intelligence can complement decision-making i...

In this episode, Dr. Robert Knox from the University of Illinois breaks down key factors impacting fertility in the breeding herd. He explains how estrus expression in weaned sows drives herd performance, why conception failures occur even in well-managed systems, and what litter size trends mean for pigs born alive. Dr. Knox also discusses fixed time AI, gilt development targets, and practical wa...