The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Eduarda Braga, a veterinarian and researcher at Iowa State University, explores the genotypic landscape of PCV2 in the United States. She explains circulating genotypes, genetic diversity, capsid selection pressures, and implications for disease surveillance in swine production. Learn how these patterns support better health monitoring decisions. Listen now on all major platforms!

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"PCV2 D is clearly the dominant genotype in recent years. So around 2014 onwards, it became the most prevalent and remains consistently high over time."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Eduarda Braga earned her veterinary degree from the Federal University of Uberlândia in Brazil and completed advanced training in swine production, reproduction, and animal health. She holds a master’s degree in Veterinary Sciences and is currently a Graduate Research Assistant at Iowa State University, focusing on swine health and viral evolution. Learn more about PCV2 research with Dr. Eduarda Braga on The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast. Listen now on all major platforms!

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Dr. Ana Paula Poeta Silva: What POMP Data Reveals | Ep. 180
Dr. Guilherme Cezar: Dynamic Pig Health Project | Ep. 184
Dr. Emma Helm: Lawsonia & Gut Microbiota | Ep. 201

What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:21) Introduction
(02:11) Dataset overview
(03:59) Genotype trends
(06:21) Genetic diversity
(08:39) Selection pressure
(10:15) Practical implications
(11:25) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Ralco

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. Joaquin Alvarez Norambuena, PhD student at the University of Minnesota, explains why influenza remains a constant challenge in swine production. He discusses virus evolution and practical biosecurity strategies, including hand sanitation, mask use, and personnel protocols. He also highlights implementation gaps on farms and long-term control limitations. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Influenza remains a challenging virus due to continuous mutation and reassortment events, which create persistent risks for swine populations across production systems."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Joaquin Alvarez Norambuena earned his veterinary degree from the University of Concepción and is currently a PhD student and Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Minnesota. His work focuses on swine health, particularly influenza epidemiology, biosecurity, and disease transmission. Learn more about influenza control with Dr. Joaquin Alvarez Norambuena on The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:08) Introduction
(01:48) Influenza challenge
(03:37) Virus recombination
(04:33) Biosecurity basics
(08:26) Mask use insights
(12:43) Biosecurity importance
(13:17) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Ralco

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. Rienske Mortier, swine veterinarian at Prairie Livestock Veterinarians in Canada, shares how critical thinking and data analysis improve herd health decisions. She explains how to use farm data, avoid common analysis mistakes, and measure intervention results effectively. Dr. Mortier highlights the value of structured thinking in modern swine production. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Swine production generates a lot of useful data, which creates a real opportunity to understand what is happening in the herd and make better decisions over time."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Rienske Mortier earned a PhD in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases from the University of Calgary and a veterinary degree with honors from Ghent University. She works as a swine veterinarian and clinical instructor in Canada, focusing on herd health, epidemiology, and data-driven decision-making. 

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What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(00:56) Introduction
(02:29) Listening approach
(05:08) PhD impact
(06:15) Farm data value
(07:32) On farm trials
(08:07) Data resources
(10:22) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Ralco

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. Guillermo Vidal, Full Professor at the University of Murcia, explains the lung gut axis and its role in swine health. He highlights how immune communication between systems influences disease outcomes, including respiratory and intestinal interactions. Dr. Vidal shows how probiotics and early-life interventions can affect health. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Probiotic administration through feed demonstrated measurable immune changes in lung tissue, including increased IgA cells and modulation of immune response against pathogens.”

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Guillermo Vidal earned a DVM and PhD and is a Full Professor at the University of Murcia, focusing on porcine digestive pathology, intestinal integrity, and health interactions across systems. With extensive industry and academic experience, his research explores biomarkers and systemic disease dynamics in swine production. 

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What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(00:53) Introduction
(01:44) Axis basics
(02:40) System connections
(04:33) Research progress
(05:03) Probiotic effects
(06:57) Pathogen location
(11:46) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Ralco

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. Taylor Engle, veterinarian at Minton Veterinary Services, shares practical strategies to improve nursery pig start-ups. He explains how minimizing stressors, optimizing barn environments, and encouraging early feed intake can strengthen pig health and performance. Get key insights, including sanitation, preparation, and management practices that prevent disease challenges. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Minimizing stress during weaning, transportation, and placement creates a stronger foundation for pig health, reducing disease pressure and supporting consistent performance across the entire nursery phase."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Taylor Engle is a veterinarian at Minton Veterinary Services with experience supporting swine producers across the United States. He earned his DVM from Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and holds a Master of Science in Animal Sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His work focuses on improving swine health through practical management strategies. 

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What you will learn:
(00:00) Highlight
(01:01) Introduction
(01:39) Reduce stress
(02:55) Barn environment
(03:16) Feed intake
(06:01) Mechanical focus
(07:03) Stress stacking
(11:25) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Ralco

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