The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Brent Pepin from the National Pork Board explains how New World screwworm awareness fits into broader foreign animal disease preparedness. He outlines key clinical signs, response expectations, and the value of strong traceability systems. Learn practical steps producers can take to strengthen readiness across swine operations. Listen now on all major platforms.

"New World screwworm pressure highlights the need for continuous attention to threats that can influence livestock movement and overall agricultural stability."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Brent Pepin is a swine health veterinarian and researcher serving as Director of Swine Health at the National Pork Board, where he leads national traceability efforts and secure pork supply initiatives. His background spans commercial practice, research, and swine disease mitigation. 

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:09) Introduction
• (02:26) New World Screwworm
• (03:59) Action plan
• (06:59) Detection challenges
• (07:49) Traceability role
• (09:39) Cattle proximity
• (15:02) Closing thoughts

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Ralco

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this special episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, marking International Women’s Day, Dr. Andreia Arruda, Associate Professor at The Ohio State University, discusses foreign animal disease preparedness in Puerto Rico. She explains outreach workshops, tabletop exercises, and biosecurity planning tailored to small swine farms. The conversation highlights disposal challenges, resource gaps, and the importance of collaboration to protect U.S. swine health. Listen now on all major platforms.

"Puerto Rico, as a U.S. territory located near Caribbean regions affected by African swine fever, holds critical importance in protecting national swine health status and disease prevention efforts."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Andreia Arruda earned her DVM from São Paulo State University in Brazil, her MS from the University of Minnesota, and her PhD in Veterinary Preventive Medicine from the University of Guelph. She is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University, focusing on epidemiology, biosecurity, and foreign animal disease preparedness in swine systems. 

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:51) Introduction
• (01:39) Puerto Rico risk
• (03:30) Biosecurity workshops
• (06:15) Tabletop exercise
• (07:52) Disposal challenges
• (10:35) Resource gaps
• (12:02) Final Questions

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Ralco

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Rodrigo Paiva, PhD candidate and anatomic pathology resident at Iowa State University, discusses a rare and unique case of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pigs. The conversation explores why this organism is a concern for swine health but not a food safety risk in U.S. commercial pork production. Dr. Paiva explains diagnostic findings, risk factors, and the importance of biosecurity. Listen now on all major platforms.

"There is zero concern in terms of pork safety in the United States, and attention should be directed toward farms and veterinarians who support those production systems."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Rodrigo Paiva is a DVM, MBA, and MS, currently a PhD candidate and anatomic pathology resident at Iowa State University. His work focuses on swine health, diagnostic pathology, and disease prevention, with experience spanning commercial production, breeding systems, and laboratory diagnostics. 

Click here to learn more!

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:04) Introduction
• (02:26) Food safety context
• (04:36) Case history
• (07:29) Pathology findings
• (08:29) Treatment limits
• (10:34) Prevention focus
• (11:49) Closing thoughts

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Boehringer Ingelheim

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Aaron Lower from Carthage Veterinary Service walks through the mechanism of diarrhea caused by E. coli and how this pathogen has changed over time. He explains how to teach barn teams to diagnose outbreaks earlier and why feed removal can be an effective treatment option during acute breaks. Learn how timely intervention can change outcomes in the nursery. Listen now on all major platforms.

"One of the first things that I think is really important is being sure that a team recognizes that they are having an outbreak."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Aaron Lower earned his DVM and Animal Sciences degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He serves as President and Veterinarian at Carthage Veterinary Service, providing swine health and production consulting across the Midwest. 

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:04) Introduction
• (02:16) E coli challenge
• (03:44) Outbreak severity
• (04:21) Diagnosis signs
• (05:29) Disease biology
• (09:54) Recovery results
• (11:56) Closing thoughts

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Boehringer Ingelheim

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Sarah Boelke from the University of Minnesota Extension explains how to organize and conduct Certified Swine Sample Collector (CSSC) trainings. She outlines why CSSC programs are critical for foreign animal disease response and how non-veterinarians can support veterinarians during high-demand events. The discussion focuses on program standards, logistics, and hands-on execution at the farm level. Listen now on all major platforms.

"The first thing that people should do is look at the certified swine sample collector program standards, which are available on the Secure Pork Supply website."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Sarah Schieck Boelke is a University of Minnesota Extension Swine Educator based in Willmar, Minnesota. Her work focuses on livestock education, producer training, and preparedness planning for swine health challenges. She has coordinated certified swine sample collection trainings to support disease response capacity across the Midwest. 

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:24) Introduction
• (02:44) Program purpose
• (03:54) Training standards
• (05:51) Resource access
• (07:35) Time planning
• (09:17) Training tips
• (11:51) Closing thoughts

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Boehringer Ingelheim

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Matheus Costa from the University of Saskatchewan explains the science behind ear necrosis in pigs. He breaks down how stress, behavior, and a specific infectious agent interact to drive disease development. The discussion highlights breakthrough research that finally reproduces ear necrosis under controlled conditions. Learn what this means for prevention, intervention strategies, and future immunization protocols. Listen now on all major platforms.

"We started seeing a lot of producers complaining about growth rates whenever a batch got affected by ear necrosis."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Matheus Costa is an Associate Professor of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan and an Adjunct Professor at Utrecht University. His research focuses on preventing infectious diseases in pigs, improving animal welfare, and advancing swine production systems. Dr. Costa studies disease mechanisms, behavior, and intervention strategies to reduce antimicrobial use.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:03) Introduction
• (01:33) Guest background
• (02:39) Multifactorial disease
• (05:53) Performance impact
• (07:15) Infectious trigger
• (11:30) Behavior role
• (16:00) Closing thoughts

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Elanco

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Jessica Risser from Elanco explains new research leveraging artificial intelligence to evaluate PRRSV strains using whole-genome data. She explains how challenge studies, host immune responses, and sequencing data inform a model that predicts how emerging strains may behave. Discover what this work means for PRRS management and future decision-making in swine health. Listen now on all major platforms.

"We've spent several years figuring out where artificial intelligence tools can help the industry better predict how emerging PRRSV strains may behave, providing faster insights for stronger herd health decisions."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Jessica Risser is a Swine Technical Consultant at Elanco and previously spent a decade managing animal health and welfare for Country View Family Farms and Clemens Food Group. She holds a DVM from North Carolina State University and a biochemistry degree from West Virginia University. Her work focuses on applying data and technology to strengthen decision-making in swine health. 

Click here to learn more!

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

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:10) Introduction
• (02:50) AI for PRRSV
• (04:47) Host immune insights
• (05:07) Genome sequencing
• (06:56) Prediction model building
• (08:55) Model validation
• (15:35) Closing thoughts

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- Elanco

* Boehringer Ingelheim

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Ben Blair from the University of Illinois explains how AI is reshaping disease modeling, real-time monitoring, and data interpretation in swine health. He breaks down practical tools producers can use today, the challenges behind data quality, and how other industries guide the future of AI in livestock systems. Tune in now on all major platforms.

"AI is allowing computers to detect patterns that traditional analysis often misses, especially when large and complex datasets overwhelm manual interpretation."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Ben Blair is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, with expertise in computational disease modeling and AI applications for livestock systems. His background spans veterinary medicine, engineering, consulting, and advanced research focused on improving decision-making in swine health. 

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:53) Introduction
• (01:23) Guest background
• (03:37) AI fundamentals
• (08:50) Computer vision
• (10:09) Industry examples
• (12:04) AI challenges
• (16:13) Closing thoughts

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Elanco

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Nicholas Lauterbach from Pharmgate Animal Health explains the impact of PRRSV and why it remains one of the most costly diseases for pork producers. The discussion focuses on the efficacy of a modified live immunization strategy during a 1-4-4 L1C PRRSV challenge, using a study designed to reflect real-world production conditions. Results highlight differences in viral circulation, growth performance, and mortality under lateral challenge pressure. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The lineage 1-4-4 L1C is one of, if not the most commonly found PRRSV strain today, while also causing some of the most drastic clinical signs."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Nicholas Lauterbach earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University and has worked extensively in commercial swine systems across the Midwest. He previously served as a senior veterinarian for Smithfield Foods and currently leads technical services at Pharmgate Animal Health. His work focuses on applied swine health research, PRRSV management strategies, and field-relevant immunization strategies. 

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:18) Introduction
• (01:43) Guest background
• (02:29) PRRSV challenge
• (05:41) Trial design
• (08:05) Results insights
• (10:03) Immunization outcomes
• (14:55) Closing thoughts

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

Pharmgate

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Elanco

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Abbey Canon, Director of Public Health and Communications at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, shares insights into developing and supporting early-career swine veterinarians. She discusses mentorship, education, and professional growth through the Early-Career Committee’s initiatives and USDA-funded training programs. Learn how building peer networks strengthens the next generation of swine veterinarians. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The Early-Career Committee is charged with identifying and then trying to provide resources for those early-career vets, roughly less than ten years post-graduation."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Abbey Canon serves as the Director of Public Health and Communications at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians. With a background in veterinary public health, field epidemiology, and swine medicine, she leads initiatives that enhance education, mentorship, and communication within the profession. 

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:42) Introduction
• (01:53) Mentorship and education
• (03:44) Early-career committee goals
• (07:01) Training program funding
• (07:52) Key learning topics
• (13:46) Program outcomes
• (16:05) Closing thoughts

The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Elanco

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus