PigX

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Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

Ideas in the swine industry worth sharing. Join extension specialists and swine industry experts as they engage in conversations aimed to help producers succeed in raising healthy pigs. PigX is a national podcast hosted by the Iowa Pork Industry Center at Iowa State University. Find out more about the research at https://piglivability.org/Check out the latest recordings from the 2021 Swine Survivability Conference!

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60 recent

November 2, 2026Episode 85

Season 7, Episode 6: Using Competitive Exclusion to Reduce E. coli in Weaned Pigs

Newly weaned pigs are especially vulnerable to pathogenic E. coli, which can cause diarrhea and other health challenges. Research is exploring how introducing beneficial bacteria before exposure to harmful bacteria could help reduce the severity of post-weaning disease, with timing playing an important role. In this episode, Dr. Marcelo Almeida, assistant professor in Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Rodrigo Paiva, graduate student and pathology resident at the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, discuss their research on competitive exclusion in weaned pigs. They explain how this approach works, why introducing beneficial microorganisms before E. coli exposure may improve outcomes and what they learned about diarrhea, E. coli shedding and pig performance. The conversation also explores the potential to address antimicrobial resistance and the considerations for applying these findings in commercial pork production.

October 5, 2026Episode 84

Season 7, Episode 5: Understanding Hog Trailer Contamination and Re-Contamination

Biosecurity and foreign animal disease preparedness extends beyond the farm. This episode looks at the risk of contamination on hog trailers as pigs move from different parts of the state to harvest plants. In this episode, Dr. Cesar Corzo, associate professor at the University of Minnesota and leman chair for swine health and productivity, and Lucas Ferreira, research assistant and PhD student at the university, discuss how their trailer research got started, how trailers can be exposed to pathogens and where contamination can occur during the transportation process. They also discuss trailer washing, PPE and opportunities to break the chain of contamination and strengthen transportation biosecurity.

September 8, 2026Episode 83

Season 7, Episode 4: Using Data to Better Manage PRRSV

PRRS continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing pork producers, but each outbreak can also provide valuable information about herd recovery, losses and the management decisions that follow.In this episode, Dr. Ana Paula Serafini Poeta Silva, a research scientist at Iowa State University, discusses the PRRS Outbreak Management Program, or POMP, and what researchers have learned from a database containing information from more than 700 breeding-herd outbreaks. She explains how POMP uses data from individual outbreaks to establish benchmarks producers can use to better understand what to expect during recovery, including potential losses and the time it may take for a herd to return to baseline production. The conversation also explores how PRRS management has evolved, including the role of live virus inoculation and modified-live vaccines.

August 3, 2026Episode 82

Season 7, Episode 3: Turning Biosecurity Plans Into Action

Biosecurity remains one of the most important tools for protecting livestock health, but success depends on more than having a written plan. It requires clear communication, consistent training and a team that understands how to put protocols into practice every day. As disease threats continue to evolve and some pathogens become more infectious, effective on-farm biosecurity is more important than ever. In this episode, Dr. Josh Flohr, assistant professor at Kansas State University, discusses the gap between biosecurity policies on paper and their day-to-day execution on the farm. He shares insights on building a culture of biosecurity, gaining employee buy-in and ensuring protocols are followed consistently, even when operations are at their busiest.

July 6, 2026Episode 81

Season 7, Episode 2: From Data to Decisions in Swine Production

Data can provide a clear picture of trends and performance across a swine farm, but its greatest value comes from putting those insights into action. In this episode, Dr. Edison Magalhães, assistant professor in the department of animal science at Iowa State University, discusses how producers can leverage data to make informed decisions that improve herd performance from birth to market. He highlights the challenges of siloed data across different teams, the impact those gaps can have on performance and the importance of integrating data to gain a more complete picture of herd health and productivity. He also explains the PROSPER (Predictors of Swine Performance) tool, which combines data from multiple sources to help producers better understand herd performance.

June 1, 2026Episode 80

Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Today’s episode features three guests discussing the similarities and differences between pork production in the United States and Brazil, along with strategies for managing risk in today’s industry while recognizing and acting on opportunities. First, Dr. Anne Caroline de Lara, executive manager of live pig production at Seara Alimentos, a JBS company in Brazil, is joined by Dr. Matthew Turner, head of operations for JBS Live Pork. Together, they discuss how labor, climate and ventilation challenges vary between Brazil and the United States, while underscoring their shared commitment to raising healthy pigs. They also point to lessons producers in both countries can take from one another’s systems and on-farm experiences. Then, Brady Reicks, risk manager at Reicks View Farms, shares his perspective on risk management, drawing from his background in markets and his transition into farming. He discusses how protecting margins varies by operation and offers practical approaches producers can use to make marketing and business decisions with greater confidence rather than hesitation. Both conversations were recorded at recent industry events focused on swine livability, including the International Conference on Pig Livability and Iowa Swine Day.

May 4, 2026Episode 79

Season 6, Episode 12: Veterinarians’ Perspectives on Managing Swine Herd Health Across All Phases

Identifying challenges in swine production and turning them into solutions through research and team development is the focus of this episode. Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham of Pillen Family Farms and DNA Genetics shares insights on herd health, biosecurity and trial work to improve pig performance. She also discusses her team’s research philosophy, how they evaluate rate of investment and how they gather feedback from employees to address challenges and maintain herd health across all phases of production. Dr. Carlos Roudergue of Country View Family Farms discusses the growing complexity of swine production, especially as technology increases and employee interaction decreases. He also shares how their workforce is shifting toward more specialized roles to support herd health and efficiency.

April 6, 2026Episode 78

Season 6, Episode 11: Success Found in Open Gestation Systems and Swine Technology

Regulations like Proposition 12 and evolving technologies continue to impact swine production. In this episode, Hyatt Frobose, North America commercial director of JYGA Technologies Inc., discusses what success looks like in open gestation systems and shares producer insights on swine health, management and adoption of new technologies by farm teams. Fred Kuhr, in his 48th year of swine production, also joins the episode as director of production at Dykhuis Farms, a 17,000-sow farrow-to-finish operation. He shares how technology is being used on the farm today, including the role smartphones play in collecting and sharing data, improving pig health and helping employees stay informed and trained.

March 2, 2026Episode 77

Season 6, Episode 10: Defining Resiliency and the Research Driving Swine Health Forward

Genetic research and new technologies continue to influence the future of swine health and production efficiency. In this episode, we explore how research and technology are being used to support stronger, more resilient pigs, while also improving overall production outcomes. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jenelle Dunkelberger, geneticist with Topigs Norsvin, to discuss both routine and emerging strategies for improving piglet, pig, and sow livability. She outlines two primary approaches to enhancing resiliency: gene editing and traditional selective breeding. Continuing the resiliency conversation, we also hear from Dr. Lucina Galina, director of technical research projects at the Pig Improvement Company. She shares insights into ongoing gene-editing work focused on PRRS, detailing the pathway to success, regulatory and practical considerations, and the questions that still remain as the technology evolves. Together, these conversations provide a closer look at how research, genetics and innovation are shaping the future of swine health and livability.

February 2, 2026Episode 76

Season 6, Episode 9: Swine Mortality Trends, Insights From U.S. and Global Data

This episode dives into swine mortality trends, sharing both U.S. and international data to understand the scope of pig survivability challenges. Rachel Johnson, technical account and production support lead at MetaFarms and Dr. Derald Holtkamp, professor at Iowa State University, join the podcast highlighting factors influencing mortality, including market pig prices, feed, productivity, and disease pressures. Over the past 40 years, pig-raising practices have evolved, and the episode discusses what these changes mean for productivity and opportunities for industry growth.