In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Lee Johnston from the University of Minnesota, discusses how nutrition during gestation influences fetal programming and lifetime pig performance. He explains the link between birth weight, survival, and productivity, and highlights research on zinc supplementation in sows. Learn how early nutrition decisions can impact herd efficiency and sustainability. Listen now on all major platforms!

"If gilts are less than one kilo at birth, they're going to have compromised lifetime reproductive performance."

Meet the guest: Dr. Lee Johnston is a Professor of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota, where he has led swine nutrition research for over 35 years. His work has focused on understanding how nutrition during gestation affects pig performance, survival, and sow longevity. His studies on zinc supplementation offer practical strategies for improving herd outcomes.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:09) Introduction
• (01:59) Fetal programming defined
• (04:42) Birth weight effects
• (06:49) Reproductive impact
• (08:25) Role of zinc
• (11:45) Environmental concerns
• (14:16) Closing thoughts

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