In this special rerun episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Taw Scaff from North Dakota State University discusses the importance of boar nutrition and its direct link to sperm quality and fertility. He explains how energy balance affects libido, semen volume, and motility, and why updating decades-old research is vital to match today’s genetics and technologies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Boars make up roughly 50% of the next generation, so if they’re not performing optimally, the herd’s reproduction suffers."

Meet the guest: Dr. Taw Scaff earned his Ph.D. in Swine Nutrition and Reproduction from Purdue University, an M.S. in Animal Science, and a B.S. in Animal Science from Oklahoma State University. Now an Assistant Professor and Extension Swine Specialist at North Dakota State University, his work focuses on optimizing swine nutrition, reproduction, and management strategies.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:50) Introduction
• (01:37) Importance of boar nutrition
• (02:19) Sperm viability and nutrition
• (03:53) Energy levels and sperm health
• (05:12) Artificial insemination
• (06:30) Research gaps in boar studies
• (08:35) Closing thoughts

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

* Fortiva

- Kemin

- 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. Ashley DeDecker from Smithfield Foods discusses the economic and health importance of vaccine compliance in swine production. She explains how proper vaccine storage, administration, and handling can impact herd performance and profitability. Learn practical strategies to improve vaccine compliance and animal health on your farm. Listen now on all major platforms!

"We sometimes start to forget about what it’s costing us, not just the cost of the vaccine, but the cost to care for that vaccine."

Meet the guest: Dr. Ashley DeDecker earned her Ph.D. in swine behavior and stress physiology from the University of Illinois in 2011. She currently serves as Senior Director of Research and Extension at Smithfield Hog Production, overseeing applied research across all areas of swine production. Her work focuses on identifying cost-effective, science-based solutions that improve pig health and performance on farms.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:58) Introduction
• (01:58) Vaccine compliance
• (04:28) Industry challenges
• (06:23) Economic outcomes
• (08:28) Farm improvement steps
• (09:42) Handling techniques
• (12:06) Closing thoughts

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

* Fortiva

- Keys Manufacturing

- Kemin

- Essential Ag Solutions

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. 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.

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

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

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

* Fortiva

- Kemin

- Keys Manufacturing

- Essential Ag Solutions

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