The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Jane Wongchanla, a PhD candidate at the University of California, Davis, explains how L-glutamate and L-aspartate support gut integrity in weaned pigs. She explains their role as functional amino acids, their impact on gut integrity and metabolism, and their potential to reduce antibiotic reliance in swine production. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article!

"Functional amino acid supplementation showed effects similar to antibiotics while changing immune and metabolic responses in weaned pigs."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Jane Wongchanla is a PhD candidate in Animal Biology at the University of California, Davis. Her research uses pig models to study how L-glutamate and L-aspartate affect intestinal barrier integrity, immune signaling, metabolism, growth performance, and antibiotic reliance. With a veterinary medicine background from Kasetsart University, she connects nutrition, immunology, and applied swine health. Learn more from Dr. Jane Wongchanla on The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:32) Introduction
(02:10) Amino acid roles
(03:41) Weaning gut stress
(05:07) Intestinal energy
(06:47) Diet supplementation
(08:02) Antibiotic comparison
(11:12) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Gilt

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: Swine Campus
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In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Larry Rueff, Founder of Swine Veterinary Services, and Dr. Darryl D'Souza, Executive General Manager at SunPork Group, discuss immunocastration in boars and gilts. They explain performance gains, carcass quality, welfare benefits, sustainability, and the effects of global adoption on producer competitiveness. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Immunocastration can improve pig welfare, reduce feed demand, and support stronger production efficiency without leaving market value behind."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁s:
Dr. Larry Rueff is a veterinarian and the founder of Swine Veterinary Services, with more than 40 years of swine industry experience in veterinary medicine, research barns, employee training, and animal welfare. 
Dr. Darryl D'Souza is Executive General Manager at SunPork Group and a meat scientist focused on innovation, value chains, and sustainable pork production. 

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What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:23) Introduction
(02:33) Boar performance
(03:43) Gilt growth
(04:23) Australian perspective
(07:28) Animal welfare
(10:29) Global competitiveness
(15:13) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Gilt

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: Swine Campus
Instagram: Swine Campus
Facebook: Swine Campus
TikTok: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Lucas Ferreira, a Research Assistant at the University of Minnesota, discusses trailer contamination risks at packing plants. He shares research on pathogen prevalence, seasonal trends, driver biosecurity practices, and factors contributing to contamination during transport. He highlights opportunities to strengthen biosecurity and reduce disease transmission across swine operations. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Trailer washing gaps allow harvest plant contamination to increase pathogen risk before equipment returns to farms or wash facilities."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Lucas Ferreira is a veterinarian from Brazil currently pursuing a master's degree at the University of Minnesota. His work focuses on swine pathogen epidemiology, detection, control, and prevalence, with an emphasis on science-driven solutions that improve herd health and biosecurity. Learn more from Dr. Lucas Ferreira on The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(02:12) Introduction
(03:01) Trailer contamination
(05:14) Positive trailers
(06:55) Washing gaps
(07:42) Plant biosecurity
(10:02) Driver training
(13:24) Closing thoughts

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

* Gilt
* Boehringer Ingelheim

- WiseVAs
- ZentrixOS
- Zentrix Insights
- The Owner's Box
- Elevate

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: Swine Campus
Instagram: Swine Campus
Facebook: Swine Campus
TikTok: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Joaquim Segalés, Full Professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and researcher at IRTA CReSA, explains Spain’s African swine fever situation. He discusses disease surveillance, containment efforts, biosecurity challenges, economic consequences, and the ongoing risk of spread. Listen now on all major platforms!

"African swine fever control can fall behind disease movement, but Spain’s outbreak remains relatively well concentrated for now."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Joaquim Segalés is a Full Professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and a researcher at IRTA CReSA in Spain. His work focuses on veterinary microbiology, infectious diseases, and swine health research. Learn more from Dr. Joaquim Segalés on The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(00:59) Introduction
(02:04) Spain ASF status
(03:59) Wild boar cases
(04:50) Export impact
(06:13) Carcass removal
(08:00) Immunization insights
(11:32) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim
* Gilt

- The Owner's Box
- Elevate
- WiseVAs
- ZentrixOS
- Zentrix Insights

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: Swine Campus
Instagram: Swine Campus
Facebook: Swine Campus
TikTok: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Lukas Schwarz, from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna in Austria, discusses the potential of birch polypore mushrooms as a novel strategy to support post-weaning diarrhea management in pigs. He shares research findings on gut barrier function, microbiome changes, and alternatives to zinc oxide and antibiotics. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Birch polypore decoction changed tissue conductance within seconds and showed a strong gut closure response in post-weaning diarrhea research."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Lukas Schwarz is a Post-Doc at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna in Austria and Deputy Head of the University's Senate. His work spans swine clinical practice, herd health, teaching, research, and veterinary parasitology, with a focus on supporting swine farmers and veterinarians. Learn more from Dr. Lukas Schwarz on The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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

What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:46) Introduction
(03:36) Birch polypore research
(05:14) Gut barrier function
(06:16) Trial insights
(09:26) Microbiome shifts
(12:53) Patent pathway
(15:06) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim
* Gilt

- The Owner's Box
- Elevate
- WiseVAs
- ZentrixOS
- Zentrix Insights

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: Swine Campus
Instagram: Swine Campus
Facebook: Swine Campus
TikTok: Swine Campus