In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Rick Hernandez from Purdue University discusses the challenges of transporting pigs and how microclimate conditions impact welfare and productivity. He shares research findings on heat stress, ventilation, and why standardized measures are needed to better monitor transport conditions. Learn about practical solutions and future technologies to safeguard swine health during transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

"If you look at the physiological indicators after transportation, you're going to find higher creatine kinase, higher blood lactate, higher skin temperature, and blood cortisol."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Rick Hernandez, a veterinarian from Colombia, is a PhD candidate at Purdue University specializing in swine welfare and genetics. His research explores welfare challenges across farms, transport, and slaughter, focusing on practical strategies to improve both animal well-being and production outcomes. Dedicated to applied science, he works to make research accessible for producers, veterinarians, and caretakers.

Click here to learn more!

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:04) Introduction
• (02:28) Pig transport stress
• (04:55) Microclimate impact
• (04:43) Welfare indicators
• (08:32) Standardized measures
• (11:58) Ventilation solutions
• (14:59) 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. Guilherme Cezar from Iowa State University shares insights from the Dynamic Pig Health Project, which tracks how multiple pathogens interact and impact pig performance. He explains how co-infections influence mortality rates, what diagnostic data reveals, and why pathogen timing plays a critical role in disease outcomes. Learn practical strategies to strengthen biosecurity and reduce losses. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Batches shedding higher levels of PCV2 and Lawsonia showed mortality above 15%, showing how co-infections sharply increase pig losses."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Guilherme Cezar earned his DVM in Brazil and holds a Master’s in Veterinary Preventive Medicine from Iowa State University, where he is now pursuing his Ph.D. His research focuses on swine diseases, epidemiology, and the dynamics of pathogen interactions in pig production. He coordinates the Swine Disease Reporting System and leads applied research projects in the field.

Click here to read the full research article!

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Dr. Pablo Piñeyro: PCV4 & Co-infections | Ep. 139

Dr. Reid Philips: PRRS Vaccine Efficacy | Ep. 143

Dr. Tyler Bauman: PRRS Control in Grow-Finish Pigs | Ep. 156

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:01) Introduction
• (02:51) Dynamic Pig Health Project
• (05:19) Diagnostic strategies
• (08:01) Mortality risk factors
• (09:16) Farm-level impacts
• (10:36) Targeting key pathogens
• (13:10) 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. Mariana Kikuti from the University of Minnesota explains how PRRSV variant classification is structured and how it supports more effective monitoring of disease outbreaks in swine herds. She shares how lineage and variant tracking improve virus identification and situational awareness. Discover how real-time data enables smarter decision-making in swine health. Listen now on all major platforms!

"We want to report monthly, close to real-time, what we're seeing in the field regarding circulation of different PRRSV variants."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Mariana Kikuti is an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine. With a background in veterinary public health and epidemiology, she specializes in monitoring PRRS virus variants and improving disease awareness across the U.S. swine industry.

Click here to learn more!

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:54) Introduction
• (02:13) Variant classification explained
• (05:50) PRRSV monitoring systems
• (07:43) Risk prediction modeling
• (08:24) Regional virus tracking
• (09:20) Variant risk criteria
• (13:09) 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. Thomas Gillespie, a swine veterinarian and owner of Performance Health PC, explores how past disease eradication efforts shaped today’s biosecurity protocols. He shares lessons learned from decades in the field and reflects on the industry's capacity to eliminate current threats. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"Biosecurity practices are things we know; we just need to make them work."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Thomas Gillespie is a swine veterinarian and owner of Performance Health PC. With over four decades of veterinary experience, including international consulting, he has led significant disease control efforts, including pseudorabies eradication.

Click here to read the full research article!

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
• (03:29) Pseudorabies history
• (06:30) Biosecurity practices
• (07:59) Veterinarian-led disease control
• (08:60) Managing diseases
• (10:54) Encouraging producer participation
• (12:21) 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. Ryan Dilger, University of Illinois and Dr. Brooke Smith with Cargill, discuss the research they conducted on soybean meal, revealing its mitigating effects on respiratory disease, specifically, the ability of soy-derived components to improve immune function and viability of PRRSv-infected pigs and the mechanisms for immunity and resilience to SRD by key soy-bioactives. Listen and watch!

“Nutrition, like everything, is only part of the picture, but remains a potentially underutilized tool for supporting health-challenged pigs.” — Brooke Smith, DVM, PhD, Veterinary Nutrition Lead, Cargill Animal Nutrition - Pork Solutions

“The body of work to date shows consistent mechanistic evidence that soy bioactives modulate host immunity and inflammation in ways that are relevant to swine respiratory disease.” — Ryan N. Dilger, PhD, Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁s:

Brooke Smith, PhD/DVM, completed her PhD in swine nutrition and health interactions, focusing on soy isoflavones on growth performance and clinical responses to PRRSv infection in weaned pigs. Post-DVM, she is Veterinary Nutrition Lead for Cargill’s North American Pork Technical Service Team, developing nutritional approaches to help support disease-challenged pigs.

Ryan N. Dilger, PhD, Animal Sciences Department Professor and Chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. His research includes the interaction of nutrition, immunology, and neuroscience, and can be broadly categorized into practical nutrition and health issues and fundamental nutrition and developmental questions using the pig as a model to improve human health and well-being.

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Dr. Gaines & Dr. Borg: Soybean Meal Net Energy Higher in Commercial Settings | Ep. 141

Dr. Goodband & Dr. Mendoza: Listen to the Pigs - Performance Impact of Increasing Soybean Meal With and Without DDGS | Ep. 177

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:43) Introduction
• (02:33) Research update
• (03:23) Soy bioactive role
• (06:31) Immune response
• (11:13) Nutrition in disease
• (13:26) Practical producer advice
• (16:33) Closing thoughts

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

U.S. Soy

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. Ana Paula Poeta Silva from Iowa State University breaks down the latest findings from the POMP program. She explains how PRRS virus lineages affect herd stability and economic loss, and highlights key factors that influence outbreak outcomes, including herd immunity and vaccine strategies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The POMP database shows that PRRS virus lineage significantly affects time to stability and total losses across different herds."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Ana Paula Poeta Silva earned her DVM in Brazil and completed her M.S. in Epidemiology and Ph.D. at Iowa State University, focusing on swine disease surveillance and bacterial diagnostics. Now a Research Scientist with ISU's Field Epidemiology Team, she brings advanced knowledge on PRRS management and risk mitigation strategies.

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Dr. Chris Rademacher: Practical Sow Health Tips | Ep. 125

Dr. Pablo Piñeyro: PCV4 & Co-infections | Ep. 139

Dr. Reid Philips: PRRS Vaccine Efficacy | Ep.143

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:08) Introduction
• (03:37) POMP data insights
• (05:28) Lineage impact
• (07:25) Genome sequencing
• (08:15) PRRS status at outbreak
• (10:24) Vaccine type outcomes
• (12:04) 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. Sarah Miller from AgCreate Solutions explores the critical role of engagement and leadership in building a sustainable culture of care on swine farms. She explains how equipping and supporting managers directly influences animal care and employee retention. Learn practical strategies for creating more connected and effective farm teams. Listen now on all major platforms!

"When a farm has a culture of care, it's something that you feel and see in everyone’s actions day in and day out."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Sarah Probst Miller holds a DVM from the University of Illinois and serves as President and Creative Director of AgCreate Solutions, Inc. With expertise in educational design and pork farm consulting, she helps producers develop impactful training strategies that improve animal care and employee engagement.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:58) Introduction
• (02:00) Defining engagement
• (03:38) Engaging teams
• (05:28) Culture of care
• (07:23) Building care culture
• (09:37) Importance of support
• (12:21) 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, Berenice Munguía-Ramírez, a PhD candidate at Iowa State University, explores the role of active participatory surveillance in early disease detection and control within the swine industry. She explains its potential to identify both emerging and endemic pathogens before widespread outbreaks occur. Learn how producer participation and surveillance frequency can influence disease detection. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Active participatory surveillance combines proactive data collection and producer involvement to detect pathogens early, instead of waiting for clinical signs to appear."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Berenice Munguía-Ramírez holds a DVM from the Institute of Technology of Sonora, an M.S. in Veterinary Preventive Medicine from Iowa State University, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at Iowa State. Her research focuses on improving diagnostics for swine diseases using oral fluids and swine epidemiology.

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

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:09) Introduction
• (02:20) Active surveillance concept
• (05:26) Surveillance pathogen scope
• (06:30) Simulation case study
• (07:59) Scaling up the model
• (11:03) Sampling frequency effects
• (15:06) 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