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 the significance of proper training and the value of technology, whose purpose is to assist rather than replace the caretaker in their daily tasks as well as promote welfare.

“The caretaker's role is vital for swine welfare, regardless of the size and condition of the farm. Quality care is crucial, as pig well-being relies entirely on their dedication.” - Dr. Anna Johnson

What you’ll learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:40) Introduction
• (03:50) The relationship between animal welfare and the caretaker 
• (05:48) The impact of caretakers on swine welfare
• (17:14) Swine industry auditing: strategies for effective results
• (20:16) The role of technology in animal welfare
• (25:40) The role of the caretaker in the swine industry
• (28:06) The final takeaway for caretakers in swine industry
• (29:02) Three final questions

Meet the guest: Dr. Anna Johnson

Experience:

• Current: Professor at Iowa State University - Environmental enrichment, DEI-B in UG Animal Science students, Caretaker retention
• Past: ISU Professor of Animal Science; Director of Animal Welfare for the National Pork Board

Background:

• Ph.D., Animal Science (Texas Tech University)
• M.Sc., Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare (University of Edinburgh) 
• B.Sc., Animal Science (Honors) (University of Reading)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AB Vista

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- Genesus

- Evonik

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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 respiratory tract of pigs. To shed light on the implications and nature of its variability, I interview Drs. Michael Rahe and Rachel Derscheid, renowned experts in pathology. In this episode, they provide us with the latest updates on PoAstV4 and stress the importance of ongoing research to gain further insights and mitigate potential challenges in the swine industry.

“Partnership and collaboration among swine veterinarians, producers, and farm managers are vital. Their contributions, including support, communication, and sample submissions play a critical role in advancing swine health and driving progress in the field.” - Dr. Rachel Derscheid

What you’ll learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:58) Introduction
• (06:15) The Porcine Astrovirus Type 4 (PAstV-4)
• (15:30) The epidemiology of PAstV-4
• (19:20) Differences between types of Porcine Astrovirus
• (21:12) Recent studies on PAstV-4
• (22:54) The Prevalence of PAstV-4
• (25:13) The lethality of PAstV-4
• (29:40) Injuries caused by PAstV-4 in swine
• (33:42) Three final questions

Meet the guest: Dr. Michael Rahe

Experience:

• Current: Assistant Professor (North Carolina State University)
• Past: Assistant Professor (Iowa State University)

Background:

• D.A.C.V.P., Pathology and Pathobiology (Iowa State University)
• Ph.D., Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology (The University of Minnesota)
• M.P.H. (The University of Iowa)
• D.V.M. (Iowa State University)
• B.Sc., Biology (Iowa State University)

Connect with the guest!

Meet the guest: Dr. Rachel Derscheid

Experience:

• Current: Veterinary Diagnostic Pathologist (Iowa State University)

Background:

• Ph.D., Veterinary Pathology (Iowa State University)
• D.V.M. (Iowa State University)
• B.Sc., Animal Science (Iowa State University)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

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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 into this topic, I have a conversation with Bogdan Samoylenko, M.Sc., about the implementation of technology in the swine industry and the challenges faced by producers during integration. As he emphasizes it, it is essential to harness technology to our advantage and maximize its benefits as quickly as possible.

“In terms of technology in the swine industry, we have to implement it on the farm as well as educate ourselves and our workers to get as much of it as possible, as fast as possible.” - Bogdan Samoylenko

What you’ll learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:45) Introduction
• (05:30) Implementing technology in a swine farm
• (13:51) Deciding which technology to implement 
• (18:51) Technology demands from producers
• (21:05) Transition to technology implementation
• (23:08) Saving time and labor 
• (34:05) The final questions

Meet the guest: Bogdan Samoylenko, M.Sc.

Experience:

• Current: Sales Technical Support Manager (Cloudfarms)

Background:

• M.Sc., Agro-Environmental Management (Aarhus University, Denmark)
• B.Sc.; Biology, Chemistry, Pedagogy (Zhytomyr Ivan Franko State University, Ukraine)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AB Vista

- Adisseo

- Genesus

- Evonik

- Cloudfarms

- Bioverse

- Eastman

- MS Gold

Give us a Rating & Review - http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1460280128

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 production quality. They are also key to advancing our sustainability strategies by reducing feed waste and addressing environmental challenges. So, as a swine nutritionist himself, Dr. Kellner sheds light on the routine, time management, and client interactions of a swine nutritionist – and gives some insights and tips as well -, and why providing effective feedback is something we must all do.

“The ability of swine nutritionists to predict performance plays a vital role in a production team: it enables effective financial management by optimizing feed costs, the largest source of expenses on our operations.” - Dr. Trey Kellner

What you’ll learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:42) Introduction
• (03:30) The routine of a swine nutritionist
• (05:42) Managing the time and schedule
• (13:32) Daily observations of the farm
• (17:21) Checklists to do visiting a barn
• (24:12) Providing feedback
• (28:04) What's the recommended market monitoring frequency? 
• (32:55) Key points you should know about a swine nutritionist
• (38:28) Three final questions

Meet the guest: Dr. Trey Kellner

Experience:

• Current: Managing Partner and Swine Nutritionist at AMVC Nutritional Services

Background:

• Ph.D., Swine Nutrition (Iowa State University)
• M.Sc., Swine Nutrition (Iowa State University)
• B.Sc., Animal Sciences (University of Nebraska)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AB Vista

- Adisseo

- Genesus

- Evonik

- Cloudfarms

- Bioverse

- Eastman

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Give us a Rating & Review - http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1460280128

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. He guides us through the world of bacteriophages and explores their applications, especially on pork products, sharing his findings on their nature and their impacts on pork processing and public health. 

"The good news is that bacteriophages can be used not only for food, but also for treating chronic diseases due to their medical properties. There is a world to explore.” – Dr. Siroj Pokharel

What you’ll learn:

• (0:00) Highlight
• (1:25) Introduction 
• (4:31) What are bacteriophages? 
• (7:59) Application on food production 
• (12:21) Exposure and temperature 
• (16:02) Targeted organisms in pork 
• (20:41) The use of bacteriophages in the future 
• (23:10) Exploring the safety and applications of bacteriophages 
• (26:20) The final questions

Meet the guest: Dr. Siroj Pokharel

Experience:

• Current: Assistant Professor at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Background:

• Ph.D., Food Safety and Microbiology (Texas Tech University) 
• M.Sc., Animal Science (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
• B.Sc., Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry (Agriculture and Forestry University)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AB Vista

- Adisseo

- Genesus

- Evonik

- Cloudfarms

- Bioverse

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Give us a Rating & Review - http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1460280128

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 team growth with Anthony Vigilante, M.Sc., who has years of experience with team and manager development. He also emphasizes the importance of flexibility to managers and the need for adjustments to optimize individual and collective performance.

"I think the first step is just treating people like people, like human beings – we forget that sometimes, right?’ - Anthony Vigilante

What you’ll learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:48) Introduction 
• (03:48) Essential steps towards becoming an effective manager 
• (09:25) Technical skills and personality 
• (14:15) Flexibility in leadership and management 
• (17:31) Embracing flexibility, retention, and team personality 
• (26:54) Fostering team motivation and accountability 
• (29:51) Key points 
• (33:25) The final questions

Meet the guest: Anthony Vigilante

Experience:

• Current: Managing Director, Head of Enterprise Technology & Chief Security at MacKay Shields LLC
• Past: Professor in Cybersecurity Masters Program at Fordham University

Background:

• M.Sc., Computer Science (Fordham University)
• B.Sc., Information Systems Management (New York University)
• Advanced Certificate, Financial Econometrics & Data Analysis (Fordham University)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AB Vista

- Adisseo

- Genesus

- Evonik

- Cloudfarms

- Bioverse

- Eastman

- MS Gold

Give us a Rating & Review - http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1460280128

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 gain, and ensure high-quality pork products. To discuss that, I have a conversation with Dr. Balachandar Jayaraman, who has conducted research in that field. In this episode, he talks about the dynamics of GAA and how its addition to animal nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting swine performance.

“GAA has improved not only growth performance, but also carcass quality – especially lean meat. It has also reduced backfat thickness.” - Dr. Balachandar Jayaraman

What you’ll learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:30) Introduction 
• (03:08) Guanidinoacetic Acid 
• (09:24) GAA supplementation aimed at growth 
• (12:18) Benefits to carcass quality 
• (15:10) Impact on amino acid requirements 
• (16:41) Growth performance and feed efficiency in finishing pigs 
• (19:43) The potential of GAA for sows and newborn piglets 
• (24:13) Three final questions

Meet the guest: Dr. Balachandar Jayaraman

Experience:

• Current: Research Manager - Swine, at Evonik (SEA)

Background:

• Ph.D., Swine Nutrition 
• M.Sc., Animal Science
• B.Sc., Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry (Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary & Animal sciences)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AB Vista

- Adisseo

- Genesus

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Give us a Rating & Review - http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1460280128

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. Christine Mainquist-Whigham, a swine veterinarian working in a commercial system. She shares her perspectives and experiences on the main challenges of the nursery phase and we discuss key strategies for managing early nursery scour, feeding protocols, vaccination programs, sanitation, among many other topics. 

“If we can accomplish environments that are both clean and low on stress, for the most part, we are able to completely eliminate nursery scour.’’ - Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham

What you’ll learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:37) Introduction 
• (03:50) Perspectives on nursery diarrhea 
• (07:00) Feeding frequency to minimize stress 
• (11:20) Minimizing stress during vaccinations 
• (17:13) The impact of technology on the nursery 
• (20:41) Strategies to improve sanitation 
• (27:03) Three final questions 

Meet the guest: Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham

Experience:

• Current: Director of Health, DNA Genetics Nucleus at Pillen Family Farms

Background:

• D.V.M. (Iowa State University)
• M.Sc., Veterinary Preventive Medicine (Iowa State University)
• B.Sc., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Nebraska Wesleyan University)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AB Vista

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Give us a Rating & Review - http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1460280128

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 Jeanette Merritt, the current Director of Communications at Indiana Pork and a 4th-generation pork producer. She shares with us her efforts and experiences with filling the gaps in the communication between producers and consumers.  

"We're using all of our care principles and standards to raise these animals with the utmost respect, importance, and guidance. We can't be afraid to share that!" - Jeanette Merritt

What you’ll learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:20) Introduction
• (03:01) Communicating with consumers as a producer
• (06:28) The most effective way of telling our story
• (14:11) What the consumers want to know about our farms
• (18:49) Targeting the right audience
• (21:18) The next generation of consumers
• (26:08) Key messages
• (27:30) Three final questions

Meet the guest: Jeanette Merritt

Experience:

• Current: Director of Communications at Indiana Pork Producers Association; Director of Checkoff Programs at Indiana Pork Producers Association

Background:

• B.Sc., Agricultural Sales and Marketing (Purdue University)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AB Vista

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Give us a Rating & Review - http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1460280128

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 great conversation with Dr. Darlene Bloxham, a specialist on the subject. She digs into the main questions that arise when it comes to selenium supplementation, including the main differences between selenium sources, the limitations levels, and the ways to supplement it in different production phases, among others.

"Selenium is more effective when supplemented before stress. When you supplement it during stress, it does not accumulate in tissues as rapidly as it could otherwise." - Dr. Darlene Bloxham

What you’ll learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:50) Introduction
• (03:56) The history of selenium in pig diets
• (09:20) Differences among sources of selenium
• (11:55) Mulberry heart disease and selenium deficiency
• (14:50) Limiting levels of selenium
• (19:38) Evaluating total selenium levels in the feed
• (22:32) Supplementing selenium in different phases
• (25:11) Key messages
• (26:01) Three final questions

Meet the guest: Dr. Darlene Bloxham

Experience:

• Current: Nutritionist at Adisseo

Background:

• Ph.D., Animal Nutrition (The University of Georgia)
• M.Sc, Animal Sciences (The University of Georgia)
• B.Sc., Animal Nutrition (Ohio State University)

Connect with the guest!

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

The Swine it Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:

- AB Vista

- Adisseo

- Genesus

- Evonik

- Cloudfarms

- Bioverse

- Eastman

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Give us a Rating & Review - http://getpodcast.reviews/id/1460280128