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In this episode of The Real P3 Podcast, Chantel Pennicott and Aryeri Bardales sit down with Tracy Meyer Milson, swine nutritionist and founder of OptiHog, to explore a simple but often overlooked concept in modern production: less is more.

Tracy shares her journey from growing up on a pig farm in South Africa to launching her own nutrition consultancy, bringing decades of experience across global production systems. Her perspective challenges the industry’s tendency to overcomplicate diets with excessive additives, instead emphasizing a return to fundamental nutrition principles and practical decision making.

The conversation dives into the growing complexity of feed formulation and how advancements in genetics, technology, and additive availability can sometimes lead producers away from what truly drives performance. Tracy explains why focusing on core nutritional building blocks, protein, energy, fiber, and fats, often delivers better outcomes than layering multiple solutions without clear purpose.

A key segment of the episode focuses on mycotoxin management, where the group discusses the widespread use, and misuse, of toxin binders across different regions. From South Africa’s high contamination challenges to routine inclusion practices in the United States, the discussion highlights the risks of “just in case” decisions, false security, and the importance of testing, strategy, and targeted use.

The episode also explores beta agonists as a performance tool, examining their benefits, limitations, and the critical role of timing, environment, and animal welfare. Tracy and Aryeri emphasize that no additive can compensate for poor management, and that pushing for more performance without balance can negatively impact both animals and people.

Beyond nutrition, the conversation expands into the human side of production. From farm staff engagement to communication between nutritionists and producers, the group underscores how people ultimately determine animal outcomes. As Tracy puts it, a holistic approach that values both technical precision and human factors is essential for sustainable success.

Whether you are a nutritionist, producer, or industry professional, this episode offers a grounded perspective on simplifying decision making, evaluating additives with purpose, and building systems that balance performance, welfare, and profitability.

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In this episode of The Real P3 Podcast, Dr. Casey Bradley sits down with David Eisenberg, President of Microtracers, Inc., to explore the science and real world applications of microtracers in animal feed manufacturing and research.

David shares the story behind Microtracers, a company founded by his father in 1961 after pioneering analytical tracing technologies for feed manufacturing. What began as a small laboratory analyzing bakery products evolved into a global business helping feed mills verify mixing accuracy, track ingredients, and protect product integrity.

The conversation explains what microtracers are and how they work. These tiny colored particles are added to feed ingredients to verify mixing uniformity, detect cross contamination, and confirm that the correct feed reaches the correct animals. From early salt tracers to magnetic iron particles that can be quickly separated and counted, the technology has become a practical quality control tool used worldwide.

David also discusses how microtracers help protect animal safety and product integrity by identifying medicated feeds, preventing ingredient misuse, and allowing rapid testing at feed mills or farms without waiting for laboratory analysis.

The episode also explores how microtracers support research programs by validating feed mixing, reducing feeding errors in trials, and improving confidence in experimental results.

Dr. Bradley also shares how Animistic plans to integrate this technology into its upcoming AssureMix program to support feed manufacturing validation and research services.

Whether you work in feed manufacturing, animal nutrition research, or production management, this episode highlights how a simple but powerful technology can improve feed quality, safety, and research precision.

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In this special edition of The Real P3, Dr. Casey Bradley brings together all four interviews from the NOVUS book launch event for Nutrition and Production Strategies for Today’s Sows. This episode highlights the collective expertise of leaders shaping the future of sow health, performance, and longevity.

From amino acid evolution to heat stress, micronutrition, and reproductive management, these conversations reflect how rapidly the modern sow has changed—and what producers, nutritionists, and veterinarians must understand to support her success.

We begin with Dr. Laura Greiner (Iowa State University), who explains how sow nutrition has transformed over the last 25 years. She walks us through the shift from simple lysine-based feeding to precision nutrition, technology-driven management, and understanding lactation amino acid transitions.

Next, Dr. Brad Lawrence (Novus International) challenges long-held assumptions about trace minerals. He dives into bio-utility versus bioavailability, new insights from biomarkers and gene expression, and how mineral source directly influences sow and offspring performance.

Our third conversation features Dr. Timothy Safranski (University of Missouri), one of the industry’s foremost reproductive physiologists. He breaks down the genetic and environmental pressures shaping reproduction today, especially how heat stress affects puberty, estrus, farrowing rate, boar fertility, and long-term herd outcomes.

We close with Dr. Antonio Palomo (Spain), offering a global perspective on the alarming rise in sow mortality. This segment includes an English voiceover summarizing his in-person Spanish interview. Dr. Palomo reveals why sow deaths are now largely metabolic rather than infectious, and why micronutrition—vitamins, minerals, oxidative stress reducers—may be the key to reversing this trend.

Whether you're a nutritionist, production manager, veterinarian, or student of swine systems, this combined episode captures the essential knowledge shaping the future of sow performance.

Special thanks to NOVUS International for their continued investment in research, global collaboration, and producer education.

You can watch the full four-part video series on YouTube, including the Spanish-language version of our conversation with Dr. Palomo.

📬 For technical support or industry guidance, email
technical@animistic.co

🌐 Learn more at
animistic.co

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In this episode, the Animistic Team sits down with Izak Van Heerden to unveil Unstoppable—a 12-day, immersive leadership and resilience experience launching in South Africa. Born from two years of development with partners across the globe, Unstoppable blends outdoor challenge, reflection, and science-backed leadership tools to help people in agriculture thrive through adversity.

From a 10th-generation South African farming legacy to leading AgriLeader in the UK, Izak shares why self-leadership must come before leading teams and businesses—and how mental health in farming demands honest conversation and practical support.

We also explore:

• Why “your comfort zone is your dream cemetery”
• The science behind growth through discomfort (walk-and-think, novelty, and reflection)
• What the 12-day South Africa experience includes (Garden Route, Storms River Gorge, Table Mountain, optional shark cage diving, seal swims, and more)
• Partnerships with the Savory Institute, Ingrid Fear, Dr. Nell, DAPA, and others
• Post-tour continuity: 1:1 support and an ongoing peer community

🔗 Learn more or sign up: https://www.unstoppablenow.world
📧 Contact: technical@animistic.co

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In this episode of The Real P3 Podcast, host Daniel Adams welcomes Dr. Laura Ellestad, Associate Professor of Poultry Physiology and Director of Graduate Programs at the University of Georgia. Laura’s career in poultry science began in an unexpected place — fish nutrition research — before evolving into a passion for poultry physiology and teaching.

She shares her journey from aquaculture to poultry, how mentorship and opportunities shaped her path, and what drew her to focus on layer physiology and broiler feed efficiency. Laura also reflects on the unique balance between research and teaching, the importance of preparing the next generation of poultry scientists, and how physiology can unlock practical solutions for challenges like skeletal health and egg production in long-lived layers.

From behind-the-scenes stories of raising hens for nearly 100 weeks to her collaborative work on nutrition, endocrinology, and welfare, Laura offers valuable insights into how science, education, and industry needs intersect. She also gives advice to students and young professionals about keeping an open mind, taking opportunities, and building meaningful networks in animal agriculture.

Whether you’re a student, researcher, or poultry industry professional, this episode highlights the curiosity, persistence, and mentorship that drive innovation in poultry science.

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In this episode of The Real P3 Podcast, host Daniel Adams welcomes Brittany Hutson, Global Technical Research Associate for Poultry at Zinpro. Brittany’s story in poultry science began in 2014 at NC State University’s Poultry Science Summer Institute, a high school camp that changed the trajectory of her career. What started as an interest in veterinary medicine soon grew into a passion for poultry, leading her to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Poultry Science with a minor in Biology from NC State University, followed by a Master’s degree in Poultry Science from Auburn University.

Today, Brittany supports Zinpro’s global sales teams by translating cutting-edge research into practical, accessible tools for producers around the world. She shares how her academic experiences and key mentors shaped her career path, what she’s learned about scientific communication, and why organic trace minerals play such an important role in poultry health and performance.

Brittany also reflects on perseverance through challenging coursework, the value of mentorship, and her advice for students considering careers in animal science. Her story is a testament to curiosity, persistence, and the power of science to make a difference in animal agriculture.

Whether you’re a student, researcher, or industry professional, this episode offers both inspiration and practical insights into building a rewarding career in poultry nutrition.

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In this episode, we sit down with Franklyn Zhu, a Yale-trained computer scientist turned agriculture entrepreneur, to explore the evolving swine and poultry industries in China. Franklyn shares how his Silicon Valley data science background and family legacy in animal nutrition led him to co-found a company specializing in piglet milk replacers and dynamic nutrition systems.

We unpack key industry trends—from automation and data utilization to the economics of feed additives, antibiotic use, and consumer trust in food safety. Franklyn offers insider perspectives on overcapacity challenges, the realities of cage-free adoption in China, and the growing role of upcycled ingredients. We also discuss the unique opportunities and challenges for U.S.–China collaboration in animal agriculture over the next decade.

Whether you’re curious about global livestock production, technology’s role in agriculture, or the intersection of economics and animal nutrition, this episode offers rare insights from someone working at the frontlines of China’s agri-food sector.

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What happens when a veterinarian and dairy farmer decides to solve his own training headaches? You get Knowby—a brilliantly simple, affordable, and adaptable training tool built from the heart of the farm. In this episode, Chantel sits down with Dr. Grant, founder of Knowby, to explore how real-world problems led to practical solutions.

Knowby isn’t just another app—it’s a blank canvas that turns everyday tasks into visual, step-by-step instructions using photos, short-loop videos, and even QR codes. Whether you’re onboarding new employees, updating SOPs, or helping your parents work the smart TV, Knowby makes it easy and effective.

Key Takeaways:

• 💡 Built by a farmer for farmers (and everyone else)—Knowby was created out of the real frustrations of on-farm training.
• 🔄 Simple, Affordable, Adaptable—Knowby eliminates complexity with easy-to-use tools that fit operations of all sizes.
• 🌎 Global, Visual, and Inclusive—Used in 40+ countries, Knowby supports auto-translation and offline access, making it practical anywhere.
• 🐖 Useful across all stages of production—from swine to poultry to pet food, Knowby offers flexible tools to meet training needs at every level.

Whether you manage teams in ag production, manufacturing, or customer service, this episode will leave you rethinking how you train, onboard, and communicate.

🔗 Want to try Knowby? Get started with our exclusive link: https://go.knowby.co/t19tsg5pa69k
(Yes, we may earn a small commission if you sign up—at no extra cost to you!)

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