The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Sydney Craig, graduate research assistant at Iowa State University, explains how arginine supplementation in lactating sows may affect piglet livability. She also discusses updated phenylalanine and tyrosine requirements for nursery pigs, highlighting gaps in older research and practical questions for diet formulation. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Results indicate low nursery mortality when estimated phenylalanine and tyrosine levels were met: 52% phenylalanine to lysine and 38% tyrosine to lysine."

Meet the guest: Sydney Craig is a graduate research assistant at Iowa State University, where she is pursuing a master's degree in Animal Sciences. Research focuses on sow nutrition, amino acid requirements, and applied swine nutrition, with prior research experience at Purdue University and The Maschhoffs. Learn more from Sydney Craig on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:06) Introduction
(01:46) Background overview
(02:22) Arginine in lactation
(03:56) Livability results
(04:33) Nursery amino acids
(06:04) Practical recommendations
(06:58) Closing thoughts

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

* Kemin
* Fortiva

- DietForge
- Essential Ag Solutions
- Barentz

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
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In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Gustavo Lima, PhD candidate at Iowa State University, explains how soybean meal net energy is evaluated using growth assays and calorimetry. He discusses caloric efficiency, validation under commercial conditions, and differences between controlled and real-world environments. Gustavo also highlights practical implications for diet formulation and ingredient valuation. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Indirect calorimetry provides a precise estimation of ingredient energy, yet validation under production conditions remains essential for accurate application in real systems.”

Meet the guest: Gustavo Lima is a PhD candidate in Animal Science at Iowa State University, specializing in swine nutrition, ingredient evaluation, and energy metabolism. With over 15 years of experience across Latin America, his work focuses on soybean meal utilization, caloric efficiency, and applied research for commercial production systems. 

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:30) Introduction
(01:48) Soybean energy focus
(02:50) Net energy ratio
(04:13) Caloric efficiency
(05:38) Growth assays use
(06:13) Commercial validation
(07:11) Closing thoughts

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

* Kemin
* Fortiva

- Barentz
- Essential Ag Solutions
- DietForge

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. Anja Strathe, Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen, explores nutritional strategies for sows during the transition from gestation to lactation. She explains physiological challenges, oxidative stress, and the role of fiber, amino acids, and mineral balance in improving farrowing outcomes and piglet survival. Learn how targeted nutrition supports sow performance and lactation success. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Dietary fiber inclusion during the transition period plays a crucial role in preventing constipation and supporting gut health, which directly influences farrowing outcomes."

Meet the guest: Dr. Anja Strathe is an Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen, specializing in swine nutrition, physiology, and mathematical modeling. Her research focuses on nutrient utilization, sow performance, and environmental impacts in swine production systems. She has contributed extensively to understanding sow metabolism and lactation efficiency. 

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:09) Introduction
(02:03) Transition importance
(03:39) Piglet survival
(04:29) Fiber role
(05:20) Metabolic balance
(06:51) Key nutrients
(09:34) Closing thoughts

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

* Fortiva
* Kemin

- DietForge
- Barentz
- Essential Ag Solutions

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
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In this special re-run episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, we bring back our conversation with Dr. Luciana Rossi, Associate Professor at the University of Milan, who 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, specializing in animal nutrition, biotechnology, and innovative feed strategies. Her work focuses on functional ingredients, edible vaccines, and alternatives to antimicrobials to improve swine health and sustainability. Her research advances nutritional solutions that reduce disease risk and environmental impact. 

Click here to read the full research article!

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:23) Introduction
(03:14) Alternatives to antibiotics
(03:41) Antimicrobial resistance concerns
(05:31) Functional feed ingredients
(07:50) Biochar in swine diets
(11:02) Sustainability in swine nutrition
(12:53) Closing thoughts

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

* Kemin
* Fortiva

- Essential Ag Solutions
- DietForge
- Barentz

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
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LinkedIn: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Amy Petry from the University of Missouri discusses how dietary fiber and enzyme technologies influence energy utilization in swine diets. She explains the complexity of fiber, the role of xylanase in reducing digesta viscosity and improving nutrient accessibility, and why production context matters across growth and sow systems. Dr. Petry also covers practical considerations for balancing feed efficiency, diet cost, and performance expectations. Listen now on all major platforms.

"Enzyme objectives must be defined clearly, whether targeting digestibility, feed efficiency, or energy utilization."

Meet the guest: Dr. Amy Petry is an Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri with training in physiology, biochemistry, statistics, and swine nutrition. She earned her Ph.D. from Iowa State University. Her research focuses on improving fiber utilization, understanding diet and physiology interactions, and optimizing energy and nutrient supply in swine systems. 

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Jordyn Studer: Choline Chloride in Pigs and Alternatives | Ep. 173

What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:29) Introduction
(02:22) Fiber complexity
(03:34) Fiber trade-offs
(04:59) Enzyme considerations
(06:39) Alternative options
(07:49) Future research
(09:19) Closing thoughts

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

- Barentz

* Kemin
* Fortiva
- Essential Ag Solutions
- DietForge

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
Instagram: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast