In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Marco de Mik, Senior Consultant in Swine Nutrition, explores how to enhance gastrointestinal health in piglets for optimal growth. He shares his expertise on how feed formulation, stomach function, and gastrointestinal health directly impact the pig’s growth and development. Learn how to balance nutrient absorption, reduce diarrhea risks, and optimize feed performance. Tune in on all major platforms!

"The stomach is the first barrier to kill bacteria, and it’s crucial for storage, digestion, and antibacterial functions. All of these contribute to overall gastrointestinal health."

Meet the guest: Dr. Marco de Mik holds a veterinary medicine degree from Utrecht University and an M.Sc. in Animal Nutrition from Wageningen University. With over a decade of experience in swine nutrition, he currently works as a Senior Consultant at Schothorst Feed Research. He specializes in feed formulation, animal physiology, and metabolism. Marco is also a resident of the European College of Veterinary Comparative Nutrition.

Click here to read the full research article!

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:04) Introduction
• (02:25) Weaning challenges
• (03:33) Role of the stomach
• (06:14) Effective feed ingredients
• (08:53) Inert fiber in diets
• (10:13) Importance of fiber size
• (12:06) Closing thoughts

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

- Kemin

- Fortiva

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this special rerun episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, we revisit our conversation with Dr. Paulo Cesar Pozza, from the State University of Maringá in Brazil, who explores the critical role of lifecycle assessments in pig nutrition. Dr. Pozza shares insights on optimizing environmental impacts and sustainability in swine production practices. He explains how regional factors influence lifecycle assessments and the significance of adjusting practices based on local agricultural conditions. Tune in now, available on all major platforms.

"Lifecycle assessment gives a more complete evaluation of emissions, acidification potential, and other environmental parameters in swine nutrition."

Meet the guest: Dr. Paulo Cesar Pozza is an associate professor at the State University of Maringá, Brazil. With over 27 years of expertise in swine nutrition, his research focuses on lifecycle assessment, feed evaluation, and additive efficacy in non-ruminants. He holds a Ph.D. and Master’s in Non-Ruminant Nutrition from the Federal University of Viçosa. 

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:52) Introduction
• (02:05) Lifecycle assessment research
• (05:24) Region-specific LCA challenges
• (07:09) Environmental benefits of LCAs
• (08:02) Protein reduction strategies
• (11:35) Future research plans
• (13:17) Closing thoughts

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

- Fortiva

- Kemin

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

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In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Daniel Rosales from South Dakota State University shares insights into his research on swine water intake and the effects of dietary components like phytase and distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS). He discusses the sustainability implications of water usage in pig production and how optimizing diets can improve efficiency. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Water usage in livestock production is a growing concern, and optimizing swine diets to minimize unnecessary water consumption is becoming increasingly important."

Meet the guest: Daniel Rosales is a Graduate Research Assistant at South Dakota State University, where he is pursuing his MSc in Animal Science. His research focuses on swine nutrition, particularly evaluating the impact of dietary strategies on growth performance and nutrient utilization. With experience in commercial swine production and processing, Daniel brings a strong background in monogastric nutrition and physiology.

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:17) Introduction
• (02:49) Research trial insights
• (03:47) Phytase and DDGS effects
• (06:12) Study design
• (08:01) Water intake research results
• (13:13) Practical applications
• (14:47) Closing thoughts

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

- Kemin

- Fortiva

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

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In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Ashley Wagner, Director of US Business and Technical Sales at Probiotech International Inc., explores a new approach to managing stress in pigs. She breaks down the physiological and behavioral impacts of stress on sow performance and fertility. Discover how feed additives targeting the brain-gut axis can improve serotonin levels, reduce circulating cortisol during stress events, and boost sow and piglet performance. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Monoterpenes can reduce norepinephrine and cortisol circulating levels, improving stress tolerance and fertility outcomes."

Meet the guest: Dr. Ashley Wagner is the Director of US Business and Technical Sales at Probiotech International Inc. She earned her BS and MS from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, specializing in nonruminant nutrition, and a PhD from the University of Kentucky. She stayed in the UK to complete post-doctoral training in the Department of Physiology with a research emphasis on metabolism and skeletal muscle chronobiology.

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:01) Introduction
• (02:10) Defining stress in pigs
• (02:44) Economic impact stress
• (03:01) Heat stress mechanisms
• (07:21) Nutritional mitigation tools
• (09:51) Trial results insights
• (10:50) Closing thoughts

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

Essential Ag Solutions

- Fortiva

- Kemin

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

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In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Stacie Crowder from Land O’Lakes, who currently leads the Fortiva innovation team, discusses the challenges and opportunities in late-finishing pig nutrition. She breaks down nutrition strategies to keep pigs on track, improve gut health, and get the most out of late-finishing diets. Learn about new research on feed additives and how nutrition and management tweaks can improve efficiency in the final weeks. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"Any disturbance in gut health during late finishing steals energy that should go toward growth, impacting overall performance."

Meet the guest: Dr. Stacie Crowder has been with Land O’Lakes for 12 years. She currently leads the Fortiva innovation team by collaborating with research platforms, international business development, sales, and marketing to deliver non-medicated feed additives that support animal resilience in U.S. and international markets. Dr. Stacie has spent her career developing ways to enhance swine production through ingredient nutrition. She holds a Ph.D. in Monogastric Nutrition from Purdue University. Her main research centers around the impact of activated medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), an area of increased importance to animal health and performance.

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:55) Introduction
• (01:35) Late finishing challenges
• (02:44) Nutrient inefficiencies
• (03:45) Feed additives impact
• (04:36) Industry advancements
• (05:55) Gut health strategies
• (07:55) Closing thoughts

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

Fortiva

- Jyga

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

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In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Mark Knauer from North Carolina State University shares insights on strategies to shorten farrowing duration. He explores the impact of genetics, nutrition, and environmental factors on farrowing outcomes, highlighting research-backed techniques to improve piglet vitality and reduce stillbirths. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Only about 7% of the variation in farrowing duration is explained by genetics, which means there’s a significant opportunity for nutritionists to optimize outcomes."

Meet the guest: Dr. Mark Knauer is a Swine Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University with over 13 years of experience in swine genetics and production management. He previously served as Director of Animal Science at the National Pork Board and holds degrees from Iowa State University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:47) Introduction
• (01:47) Farrowing duration
• (02:50) Environmental impact on farrowing
• (03:28) Tech to shorten farrowing
• (05:38) Calcium chloride
• (06:05) Feeding frequency strategies
• (11:02) Closing thoughts

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

 Jyga

- Fortiva

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

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In this second part of our special episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, celebrating National Ag Day, Dr. Jean Noblet, a consultant in monogastric nutrition, continues to explore energy utilization in swine feeds. He breaks down the debate over the energy value of soybean meal relative to corn, the role of net energy systems, and the impact of caloric efficiency on feed formulation. Listen now on all major platforms!

"I think we should use the same system, and the system should be consistent for all the ingredients that are available, either cereals or protein-rich ingredients or fat sources."

Meet the guest: Dr. Jean Noblet is a retired researcher from INRAE (National Institute for Agricultural Research) in France. He holds an Agronomist Engineer degree and a Ph.D. in Nutrition. His expertise lies in energy and protein nutrition of swine, poultry, and calves, with major contributions to calorimetry methods, feed energy evaluation, and modeling of energy requirements. He has authored over 220 peer-reviewed papers and developed key nutrition software, InraPorc and EvaPig.

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:54) Introduction
• (01:22) Guest background
• (02:19) Soybean meal energy debate and study frustration
• (03:55) Discussing caloric efficiency and the flawed approach
• (07:05) Mentioning a relevant discussion paper
• (08:03) What’s next for energy research in animal nutrition
• (10:26) Closing thoughts

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

- Fortiva

- Jyga

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

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In this special episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, celebrating National Ag Day, Dr. Jean Noblet,  a consultant in monogastric nutrition, shares insights on the critical role of energy in swine nutrition. He explains the importance of precise energy evaluation in feed, the development of net energy systems, and how ingredient variability impacts diet formulation. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"Energy is the main driver of performance in animals, and it also represents the largest cost in feed formulation."

Meet the guest: Dr. Jean Noblet is a retired researcher from INRAE (National Institute for Agricultural Research) in France. He holds an Agronomist Engineer degree and a Ph.D. in Nutrition. His expertise lies in energy and protein nutrition of swine, poultry, and calves, with major contributions to calorimetry methods, feed energy evaluation, and modeling of energy requirements. He has authored over 220 peer-reviewed papers and developed key nutrition software, InraPorc and EvaPig.

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:14) Introduction
• (01:44) Guest background
• (03:52) Importance of energy
• (05:54) Evaluating feed ingredients
• (07:08) Net energy systems
• (08:28) Factors affecting energy value
• (10:14) Closing thoughts

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

- Jyga

- Fortiva

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

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In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Luciana Rossi, Associate Professor at the University of Milan, discusses alternatives to antibiotics in swine nutrition. She explores antimicrobial resistance, the role of functional ingredients, and the potential of biochar in improving gut health and sustainability. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"Biochar, a vegetable charcoal produced by pyrolysis, has shown potential in reducing diarrhea incidence and improving gut health in weaning piglets."

Meet the guest: Dr. Luciana Rossi is an Associate Professor at the University of Milan with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and a PhD in Biotechnology in Veterinary Science. With extensive experience in animal nutrition, her research focuses on innovative feed additives, functional ingredients, and sustainable alternatives to antibiotics in animal production.

Click here to read the full research article!

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:55) Introduction
• (02:46) Alternatives to antibiotics
• (03:13) Antimicrobial resistance concerns
• (04:63) Functional feed ingredients
• (07:22) Biochar in swine diets
• (10:34) Sustainability in swine nutrition
• (12:25) Closing thoughts

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

- Jyga

- Fortiva

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

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In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Taw Scaff, Assistant Professor and Extension Swine Specialist at North Dakota State University, breaks down the topic of boar nutrition. From its impact on sperm quality and fertility to its role in supporting advanced reproductive technologies, Dr. Scaff highlights why proper boar nutrition is essential for breeding success. He also addresses gaps in current research and the importance of fine-tuning energy levels to maximize boar performance. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Boars represent 50% of the next generation, so their performance is critical to breeding success."

Meet the guest: Dr. Taw Scaff earned his Ph.D. in Swine Nutrition and Reproduction from Purdue University, an M.S. in Animal Science, and a B.S. in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University. Now an Assistant Professor and Extension Swine Specialist at North Dakota State University, his work focuses on optimizing swine nutrition, reproduction, and management strategies.

What you will learn: 

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:40) Introduction
• (01:17) Importance of boar nutrition
• (02:09) Sperm viability and nutrition
• (03:43) Energy levels and sperm health
• (05:02) Artificial insemination
• (06:20) Research gaps in boar studies
• (08:25) Closing thoughts

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

- Fortiva

- Jyga

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

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