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.

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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.

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

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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