The Swine it Podcast Show

In today's stimulating conversation, we are pleased to welcome the experienced and insightful Dr. Robert van Barneveld, Group CEO of SunPork. SunPork, as the largest pork producer in Australia, holds a unique position in the global market and provides us with an enlightening perspective on the current state of swine production in the country. While Australia's swine production methods sign...

That's my first episode as one of the hosts for The Swine It Podcast Show, and to celebrate that, I had an exciting talk with Dr Alexa Lamm. Dr. Lamm shares her insights on how she helps address public concerns related to food production and environmental issues. Much of today's episode will delve into the workings and mission of the Real Pork Trust Consortium, which has emerged as a catal...

Swine feed formulations are often optimized to contain the right balance of corn, soybean meal, and supplements in order to meet the animals' nutritional needs at the lowest cost. It may be possible to find even greater opportunities by incorporating alternative feedstuffs beyond these traditional ingredients. Casey Shaw, an expert in swine nutrition and formulation, discusses how feed utilize...

Sustainability has emerged as a significant topic of discussion in the realm of pig production over the last few years. It's clear that it plays a crucial role in guiding the industry's efforts to enhance both the environmental and financial viability of operations. To this end, I engaged in an insightful discussion with Jamie Burr, Chief Sustainability Officer of the National Pork Board,...

Are you a veterinary student intrigued by the swine industry? In this episode, I invite you to explore pivotal insights to excel in this field. My conversation with Brooke Kitting, M.Sc., illuminates the journey of a swine veterinarian transitioning from academia to the professional world. Brooke's journey embodies dedication, resilience, and tenacity - an example aspirational swine veterinari...

In a globalized world, trading animal genetics across borders is common and beneficial for economic growth and the development of animal breeds within the swine industry. Understanding the intricacies of livestock import and export is now more valuable than ever. To discuss this matter, I had a great conversation with Tony Clayton, who shared insights about his journey of over 32 years in the fiel...

Have you ever heard about the term "One Health"? As one of the key strategies of the swine industry, the "One Health Approach" offers a broad, integrative framework for dealing with complex issues that intersect numerous fields, enhancing human and animal health, and promoting environmental stability. In today's episode, I talk to Dr. Heather Fowler, the director of producer an...

Formulating and delivering the perfect feed is crucial for herd health, growth, and profitability in the swine industry. Feed pelleting – transforming raw ingredients into compact pellets – plays a vital role in this process, offering numerous benefits that resonate throughout swine production. In this episode, I have insightful discussions with experts in the field, Dr. Caitilin Evans and Paul St...

As technology advances and software becomes more integrated into farming, the need for professionals who can bridge the gap between these two worlds is growing. Josefine Tulinius, M.Sc., is one such professional, as she works in the dynamic world of IT applied in management systems for pig production. Since Tulinius's role is to help computer scientists understand the needs of animal experts a...

In the ever-evolving world of the swine industry, addressing the needs of both producers and animals at each stage is paramount. From gestation crates to group housing, challenges arise in managing swine effectively. To shed light on it, I talk to Dr. Tami Brown-Brandl, an expert in Biological Systems Engineering applied to Animal Sciences. We discuss the technological solutions that are necessary...

Understanding the risk factors for virus transmission associated with feed and its ingredients is vital in the swine industry. Since viral diseases pose a significant threat to swine herds, it is necessary to have effective intervention strategies and robust biosecurity measures. To shed light on these matters, I talk with Dr. Scott Dee, a renowned expert in swine disease management. He emphasizes...

During the summer months, when it gets hot outside, pig feed intake may decrease, but their requirements do not. Therefore, there are all sorts of strategies out there to try and get more nutrients into the diet without increasing costs too much. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Maria Mendoza about amino acid ratios we should consider when feed intake diminishes, as well as energy levels and soybe...

Caretakers are the backbone of swine welfare. Because they interact with the animals throughout the whole day and make sure their needs are met, they are key to the well-being of the pigs. To emphasize and shed light on these matters, I talk to Dr. Anna Johnson, an esteemed expert in animal welfare. Dr. Johnson discusses the indispensable role of the caretaker in the swine industry, highlighting t...

Porcine Astrovirus (PoAstV) is a non-enveloped RNA virus that belongs to the Astroviridae family and encompasses at least five distinct lineages with significant genetic variability. Besides being primarily associated with mild, self-limiting secretory diarrhea in swine, with young pigs being most susceptible, the variant Porcine Astrovirus 4 (PoAstV4) has been recently identified in the respirato...

Technology plays a crucial role on swine farms, as it enables us to enhance production efficiency and manageability by providing access to diverse data and digital tools designed to improve animal management. In other words, it allows us to effectively control our processes, better utilize our resources, stay well-informed about farm activities, and even predict future events. To gain insights int...

Welcome to our 200th episode!! Time flies, right? To celebrate this history, we have invited Dr. Trey Kellner as our guest to share his experiences and answer questions about the daily routine of a swine nutritionist. As we all well know, swine nutritionists have an important role to play and contribute a lot to our industry by optimizing pig diets, improving feed efficiency, and enhancing pork pr...

Have you ever heard about bacteriophages and how they can benefit the swine industry? To sum it up, bacteriophages are specialized viruses that possess the ability to infect and destroy bacteria, thus playing a crucial role in combating pathogens and promoting food safety. In this episode, I have a great conversation with Dr. Siroj Pokharel, who has built an outstanding career on researching them....

Managing a team depends on having the fundamental skill of leading and coordinating individuals with diverse abilities, personalities, and work styles in order to achieve common goals. Nowadays, that is especially sensitive in the swine industry, as we are going through a labor shortage. In this episode, I have a great conversation about strategies and practices to adapt management to changes and...

Have you ever heard about Guanidinoacetic Acid (GAA) and its benefits to swine performance? As an essential precursor in creatine synthesis, GAA contributes to the development of muscles, the metabolism of energy, and the maintenance of amino acid metabolism. With that in mind, understanding the strategic use of GAA in swine feeding is critical to optimize feed efficiency, promote healthy weight g...

Nursery is one of the most critical stages in any production system, since starting pigs off in the right direction is crucial for maintaining their good performance throughout their entire lives. However, as we all know, there are some challenges when it comes to nursery management, including high occurrences of diarrhea and piglet stress. In this episode, I have a great conversation with Dr. Chr...

We all know there is a lot going on inside our pig production systems: feeding the pigs and keeping them healthy, abiding to biosecurity protocols, managing people, collecting data, and sending high-quality products to the market by the end of the day. However, the question is: do the consumers and the general public really know that? In this week's episode, I have the pleasure of talking with...

Over the last decades, research has shown that selenium plays a critical role in the organism of pigs, especially when the animals are facing stressful events such as weaning, farrowing, and heat stress. However, there are still some misunderstandings about the benefits of selenium and its proper usage, since high levels of the substance in diets can lead to toxicity. In this episode, I have a gre...

You probably already know that we are facing a global banking crisis, as it has been widely reported all over the news. However, this is not a recent problem – as a matter of fact, the current situation began in 2008 and has been dragging on since then. The downturn of that period was never fully overcome and the effects of its temporary solutions have now become one of the primary reasons for the...

Research on the pig microbiome has been increasing over the years and providing exciting results that enable us to move forward as a global industry. As such a complex and multidisciplinary subject, the pig microbiome has been studied by nutritionists, veterinarians, microbiologists, among other professionals, each field adding new layers to that discussion. How about the geneticists? In today’s e...

Lately, streptococcus suis ( S. suis ) has become a critical topic for discussion among swine producers and veterinarians. That happens because S. suis is currently one of the most important bacterial swine pathogens that affects post-weaned piglets, mainly causing meningitis, arthritis, and sudden death. In this roundtable, Dr. Brooke Smith and Dr. Ryan Strobel share their vast experience and pra...