In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Jay Johnson from the University of Missouri explores the bioenergetics of heat stress in gestating sows and how it affects growth and fat deposition. He discusses energy partitioning, thermoregulation, and genetic strategies to improve thermal tolerance without compromising productivity. Listen now on all major platforms!

• (00:00) Introduction
• (01:15) Heat stress in sows
• (02:47) Energy demands insights
• (06:18) Parity and heat impact
• (06:41) Genomic selection models
• (10:38) Balancing welfare and output
• (12:15) Closing thoughts

"Gestating sows under heat stress grow faster than those in thermoneutral conditions, with much of that growth going into backfat."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Jay Johnson earned his Ph.D. from Iowa State University and is now an Associate Professor of Animal Welfare and Stress Physiology at the University of Missouri. His research focuses on heat stress, swine productivity, and practical welfare innovations through physiology and genomics.

Connect with our guest on Social Media: LinkedIn

Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love!