The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this special episode of the Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, we bring you a crossover with The Swine it Podcast Show Canada. Co-host Dr. Ruurd Zijlstra sits down with Dr. Anja Strathe from the University of Copenhagen to discuss practical sow feeding strategies, piglet birth weight, early gestation nutrition, and mortality around farrowing in hyperprolific systems. Dr. Strathe shares how research-based insights can help shape better nutritional decisions for sow herds. Listen now on all major platforms.

If you follow the swine industry in Canada or want to stay close to what is happening there, check out The Swine it Podcast Show Canada. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Piglet birth weight is really correlated to piglet mortality, and very small piglets require extensive management to survive in modern hyper prolific systems."

Meet the guest: Dr. Anja Varmløse Strathe is an Associate Professor in Porcine Nutrition at the University of Copenhagen. She has worked with sow nutrition for over a decade in Denmark and the U.S. Dr. Anja earned her MSc in Agronomy and PhD from the University of Copenhagen. Her focus includes fundamental studies on sow physiology and applied nutrition research in partnership with the swine industry.

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:21) Introduction
(01:51) Importance of sow nutrition
(04:17) Improving piglet birthweight
(06:21) Trials insights
(09:49) Nutritional strategies
(13:19) Closing thoughts

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

* Kemin
* Fortiva

- Keys Manufacturing
- DietForge
- Pharmacosmos

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. Chad Hastad from New Fashion Pork explains how mycotoxins and endotoxins influence enteric stability and post-weaning performance. He outlines key risk points in nursery flows, practical strategies to support mucosal integrity, and tools that help mitigate subclinical toxin pressure. Learn how prevention-based nutrition programs strengthen gut function and improve early pig care. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Endotoxins directly affect the intestinal mucosa, weakening barrier function and allowing additional challenges to influence nutrient absorption."

Meet the guest: Dr. Chad Hastad serves as Director of Research, Nutrition, and Operational Support at New Fashion Pork. His experience spans feed mill operations, consulting, and applied research focused on improving swine nutrition programs and production efficiency. His work centers on enteric stability, toxin management, and practical strategies that support high-performance nursery systems. 

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Dr. Ashley Wagner: Nutritional Strategies for Stress | Ep. 166
Dr. Josep Garcia Sirera: Managing Endotoxins in Swine | Ep. 171

What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:23) Introduction
(02:59) Enteric challenges
(04:15) Toxin interactions
(05:33) Protective strategies
(08:23) Management insights
(11:60 → 12:00) Biosecurity tools
(16:11) Closing thoughts

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

Essential Ag Solutions

* Fortiva
* Kemin
- DietForge
- Keys Manufacturing

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
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In this special rerun episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Sam Gerrard, postdoctoral fellow at Virginia Tech, breaks down how immune challenges shift nutrient use in pigs and impact performance. The conversation covers reduced feed intake, immune-driven nutrient diversion, and how pair feeding models help separate disease effects from intake effects. Dr. Gerrard explains why understanding physiology during health challenges is critical for maintaining feed efficiency and animal welfare. Listen now on all major platforms.

"The immune system diverts nutrients from lean tissue accretion toward defense, significantly altering metabolic priorities during immune challenges."

Meet the guest: Dr. Sam Gerrard holds a DVM and a PhD in Nutritional Physiology and is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech. His work focuses on swine physiology, immune challenges, and nutrient allocation during disease. 

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:16) Introduction
(03:14) Swine immune response
(04:57) Feed intake impact
(06:05) Pair-feeding explained
(07:12) Different responses
(10:04) Nutritional interventions
(13:06) Closing thoughts

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

* Fortiva
* Kemin

- DietForge
- Keys Manufacturing

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

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Charlotte Lauridsen from Aarhus University explains how oxidative stress and inflammation affect pig health and productivity. She discusses how immune activity is shaped by metabolism, weaning, gut microbiota, and dietary interventions. Understand how early nutritional strategies can support immune function and reduce chronic challenges in piglets and sows. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Reactive oxygen species increase when mitochondrial activity rises under high metabolic pressure, creating conditions that challenge cellular stability."

Meet the guest: Dr. Charlotte Lauridsen is a professor and Head of the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Aarhus University, specializing in nutritional immunology in pigs. Her work explores how nutrients affect immune responses, oxidative stress, and inflammation, with emphasis on sow and piglet health during early life and weaning. 

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:16) Introduction
(02:43) Nutrient utilization insights
(04:17) Nutrient cycle connections
(06:55) Consortium structure
(08:16) Data gaps and updates
(10:24) Practical use for nutritionists
(14:06) Closing thoughts

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

* Fortiva

- Keys Manufacturing
- Kemin

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

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Chris Hostetler, Director of Animal Science at the National Pork Board, discusses the work of the Nutrient Utilization Consortium and its impact on the swine industry. He explains how updated data, multivariate diet formulation, and coordinated research are shaping the future of sustainable pork production. Discover how science-driven collaboration is improving nutrient efficiency and environmental outcomes. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The biggest driver of sustainability for pork production is the feed that we feed the animals."

Meet the guest: Dr. Chris Hostetler serves as the National Pork Board’s Director of Animal Science, where he oversees research in swine nutrition, genetics, and reproduction. With a background in academia and industry, he focuses on improving production efficiency and sustainability across the pork sector. 

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

What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:16) Introduction
(02:43) Nutrient utilization insights
(04:17) Nutrient cycle connections
(06:55) Consortium structure
(08:16) Data gaps and updates
(10:24) Practical use for nutritionists
(14:06) Closing thoughts

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

* Fortiva

- Keys Manufacturing
- Kemin

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