This episode presents a compelling conversation with Dr. Jordan Gebhardt, who has an impressive experience in swine nutrition research and experimental design. Here, Dr. Gebhardt explores and navigates the fascinating aspects of swine nutrition research and, in particular, the critical importance of the experimental unit in the overall experimental design, as understanding these experimental units can be quite challenging. Still, Dr. Gebhardt dives into the process of identifying and defining operational units, assigning them to different treatments, and reducing variation between these units.

Meet the guest: Dr. Jordan Gebhardt

Experience

• Assistant Professor at Kansas State University

Background

• Ph.D., Applied Swine Nutrition (Kansas State University)
• DVM, Veterinary Medicine (Kansas State University)
• B.S., Animal Science (Michigan State University)

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- Novus

- DSM

- Adare

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𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Lee Johnston, a respected authority in the swine nutrition research scenario. Over the past couple of decades, Dr. Johnston has given invaluable contributions to the field. Here, Dr. Johnston takes us through the details of the research he has been conducting on the impacts of zinc supplementation in the swine diet. He walks us through the results and interpretations from two vital research projects that he and his team conducted regarding supplementing high level zinc into gestating sows.

Meet the guest: Dr. Lee Johnston

Experience

• Professor at University of Minnesota

Background

• Ph.D., Animal Science (Michigan State University)
• M.S., Swine Nutrition (Texas Tech University)
• B.S., Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production (Penn State University)

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- Novus

- DSM

- Adare

- Animine

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com

As the swine industry continues to evolve, the focus on optimizing sow productivity is becoming more crucial. Recent research spearheaded by Dr. Mark Knauer, a Swine Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University, offers insightful perspectives in this regard. Dr. Knauer's research indicates that while pig geneticists have made successful strides in increasing litter size and the number of functional teeth in sows, the increase in functional teeth has not kept up with litter size. This disparity highlights a significant issue: the larger the litter size, the less colostrum per piglet is available for intake. The crucial role of colostrum for a piglet's health and survival underscores the significance of this problem.

Meet the guest: Dr. Mark Knauer

Experience

• Swine Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University

Background

• B.Sc. in Agriculture Education (Iowa State University)
• M.Sc. in Animal Breeding (Iowa State University)
• PhD in in Animal Breeding and Genetics (North Carolina State University)
• Postdoc (Institute for Pig Genetics, Netherlands)

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- Novus

- DSM

- Adare

- Animine

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com

There are several types of corn distillers dried grains with solubles available and they are often used in swine diets in order to reduce the cost of the diet. To discuss its impacts, we had a great conversation with Andres Toloza in this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast. Andres gives a detailed overview of a study he conducted at Kansas State University, focusing on the impact of increasing levels of threonine to lysine ratio in the corn-soybean meal diets of grow-finish pigs, with and without dried distiller's grains (DDGs). Tune in to this insightful episode and gain a deep understanding about increasing the level of digestible Thr in a diet and its impact on the growth performance of pigs.

Meet the guest: Andres Tolosa, M.Sc.

Experience

• Current: Graduate Research Assistant at Kansas State University

Background

• M.Sc., Swine Nutrition (Kansas State University)
• B.Sc., Animal Science (Universidad Nacional de Colombia)

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- Novus

- DSM

- Adare

- Animine

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com

Decisions in swine nutrition and production often result from a multifaceted approach, considering many factors that go beyond the apparent biological implications. The studies led by Dr. Ashley DeDecker and her team continue to spark insightful discussions in swine nutrition and production. Dr. DeDecker is studying the comparison between mash and pellet feed for sow diets, specifically at micron size. This research aims to find the best grinding size to improve swine nutrition and production in the industry.

Meet the guest: Dr. Ashley DeDecker

Experience

• Current: Director of production research at the Smithfield Foods

Background

• Ph.D., Swine Behavior and stress physiology (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) 
• B.Sc., Animal Science (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale)

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- Novus

- DSM

- Adare

- Animine

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com

Narasin is an ionophore used in animal production that can enhance weight gain and feed efficiency in growing-finishing swine by modifying hindgut fermentation. In this episode, I talked to Dr. Michael Shields about his research on a meta-regression analysis that was conducted to evaluate the effects of narasin inclusion in growing-finishing pig diets to predict average daily gain and feed efficiency. Dr. Shields enlightens us on the benefits of narasin supplementation in swine diets and the possible implications for the future of pig feeding strategies.

Meet the guest: Dr. Michael Shields

Experience

• Current: Technical Consultant at Elanco
• Past: Consulting Nutritionist at Cape Fear Consulting. Director of Swine Nutrition and Business Analysis at Cactus Feeders

Background

• Ph.D., Animal and Poultry Science; Nutrition (North Carolina State University)
• M.Sc., Animal Sciences (North Carolina State University)
• B.Sc., Animal Science; Nutrition (North Carolina State University)

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- Novus

- DSM

- Adare

- Animine

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com

Manganese (Mn), a vital trace mineral, supports metabolism and bone structure, functions as a component of several enzymes, and is involved in carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism. In this episode, my conversation with Hilario Cordoba unveils his research on the effects of manganese in growth performance and carcass characteristics. Delving into Cordoba's enlightening discussion, we glimpse the challenges in defining optimal manganese use in swine nutrition.

Meet the guest: Hilario Cordoba, DVM

Experience

• Current: Ph.D. student at Kansas State University
• Past: Technical Sales Service at Teknal S.A.

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- DSM

- Adare

- Animine

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com

Methionine is vital for the health and nutrition of sows, especially during lactation. It is an essential amino acid as it is crucial to various physiological functions, including protein synthesis, enzyme activity, and molecule formation. In this episode, I talk with Cierra Kozole about her research on swine nutrition, focusing specifically on the impact of dietary methionine on nitrogen retention in lactating gilts. This study aimed to redefine and update the methionine requirement estimates for modern first parity lactating sows.

Meet the guest: Cierra Kozole

Experience

• Current: Ph.D. Student at the University of Guelph
• Past: In the summer of 2020, I worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in Dr. Lee-Anne Huber's lab

Background

• B.Sc., Animal Biology (the University of Guelph)

Connect with the guest!

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- DSM

- Adare

- Animine

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com

Optimizing branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) to lysine ratios in swine diets could improve the growth, muscle development, and overall health of pigs. In this episode, I interviewed Dr. Ryan Samuel, an Assistant Professor of Monogastric Nutrition at South Dakota State University. We discuss Dr. Samuel's research on the effects of different BCAA to lysine ratios on carcass data, growth, performance, and economics. His study aimed to improve the amino acid ratios and balance in order to enhance the performance of grow-finished pigs.

Meet the guest: Dr. Ryan Samuel

Experience

• Current: Assistant Professor at South Dakota State University
• Past: Research Project Manager at Alltech.

Background

• Ph.D., Animal Science (the University of Alberta)
• M.Sc., Animal Science (the University of Alberta)
• B.Sc., Hons Chemistry (the University of Prince Edward Island)

Connect with the guest!

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- DSM

- Adare

- Animine

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com

Facing adversity at an early age significantly impacts organ development and predisposes pigs to diseases later in life. Research on swine has found that early weaning stress induces long-term intestinal barrier dysfunction, but such mechanism is not yet fully understood. In this episode, Dr. Liang-En Yu discusses the study he conducted to evaluate the epithelium component cells, along with the proliferation of intestinal epithelial stem cells and the differentiation activities in an early weaning stress model in pigs.

Meet the guest: Dr. Liang-en Yu

Experience

• Current: I have just earned my Ph.D.
• Past: full-time Research Assistant in the Urothelial Carcinoma group at Kaohsiung Medical University

Background

• Ph.D., Animal and Food Sciences (the University of Delaware)
• M.Sc., Neurology (Kaohsiung Medical University)
• B.Sc., Agriculture (Thung-Hai University)

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

- Phibro

- Hubbard Feeds

- Alltech

- DSM

- Adare

- Animine

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

Website: swinenutritionblackbelt.com