The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Li-Hsuan Chen, postdoc researcher at Aarhus University, discusses how porcine intestinal cell lines and organoids can help study the impact of nutrition on gut health. He explains how in vivo piglet trials identify diet-driven shifts in microbiota and metabolites, while in vitro models allow researchers to test specific metabolites, barrier function, immune markers, and future organ-on-chip systems before moving back to animal studies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"In vitro models can reduce early animal use by helping researchers screen nutritional candidates before moving back to in vivo trials."

Meet the guest: Dr. Li-Hsuan Chen is a postdoc researcher at Aarhus University in Denmark. Research focuses on porcine gut health, host-microbe interactions, cell lines, and organoids, with PhD work at Aarhus University studying how dietary protein and amino acid levels shape gut microbiota, microbial metabolites, and intestinal epithelial responses. Learn more from Dr. Li-Hsuan Chen on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(02:03) Introduction
(02:34) Research background
(03:46) In vitro approach
(04:11) Porcine cell models
(06:14) Intestinal organoids
(07:25) Linking models to diets
(10:16) Closing thoughts

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

* Fortiva
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- Barentz
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𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
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In this special rerun episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Gustavo Lima, PhD candidate in Animal Science at Iowa State University, discusses how grow-finish pigs respond to high soybean meal diets. He explains the initial drop in feed intake, changes in backfat, later adaptation, energy efficiency, amino acid utilization, and the rise in nitrogen excretion at higher inclusion levels. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article!

“Once they got adapted to the diet, they can handle higher levels of inclusion of soybean meal.”

Meet the guest: Gustavo Lima is a PhD candidate in Animal Science at Iowa State University whose work focuses on swine nutrition, ingredient characterization, energy metabolism, caloric efficiency, and applied data analysis. With more than 15 years of experience in swine production across Latin America, Gustavo also brings expertise in environmental control, performance evaluation, barn ventilation, and grow-finish housing. Learn more from Gustavo Lima on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(02:02) Introduction
(03:07) Soybean meal inclusion
(04:17) Research hypothesis
(07:00) Energy efficiency
(09:09) Nitrogen excretion
(10:02) Practical advice
(11:24) Closing thoughts

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

* Kemin
* Fortiva

- Essential Ag Solutions
- Barentz
- DietForge
- Gilt

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
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In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Astrid Pilgård Rasmussen, PhD student in Animal Science at Aarhus University, discusses berry pomace as a feed ingredient for newly weaned pigs. She explains how berry byproducts may support gut health, oxidative stress response, diarrhea outcomes, and growth performance while fitting circular use of local resources. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Berry pomace is the byproduct we have left after juice production from berries."

Meet the guest: Astrid Pilgård Rasmussen is a PhD Student in Animal Science at Aarhus University, Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences. Her PhD work focuses on feeding strategies to mitigate oxidative stress and improve gut health in weaned pigs as part of the PIG PARADIGM Project. Learn more from Astrid Rasmussen on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms!

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:43) Introduction
(02:49) What berry pomace is
(04:50) Trial design in weaned piglets
(05:38) Oxidative stress and diarrhea findings
(06:55) Palatability and growth performance
(08:05) Biomarkers and microbiome
(08:55) Closing thoughts

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

* Fortiva
* Kemin

- Essential Ag Solutions
- Barentz
- DietForge
- Gilt

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. Theo van Kempen, an independent consultant with extensive swine nutrition and product development experience, explains how refeeding syndrome can affect newly weaned piglets. He discusses phosphate depletion, edema, intestinal health, oxygen delivery, and high-glycemic nursery diets, and presents nutritional strategies designed to reduce postweaning challenges. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article!

“Refeeding syndrome develops when feeding resumes after fasting, creating an acute phosphate deficiency as metabolism rapidly accelerates and cellular phosphate requirements increase.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Theo van Kempen holds a Ph.D. in Nutrition from the University of Illinois and has extensive experience in swine nutrition, digestive health, nutrient management, and feed product development. His career includes academic research at North Carolina State University and leadership positions in animal nutrition R&D. He currently works independently in product development, including nutraceutical and nutritional innovation. Listen to Dr. Theo van Kempen on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms!

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:27) Introduction
(02:55) What refeeding syndrome is
(03:44) Fasting and phosphate loss
(04:31) High glycemic diets and insulin
(06:27) Health consequences
(10:12) Low glycemic nursery diets
(11:57) Closing thoughts

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

* Kemin
* Fortiva

- DietForge
- Gilt
- Essential Ag Solutions
- Barentz

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. Emiline Sundman, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Iowa State University, discusses nutritional and environmental enrichment strategies for nursery pigs. She explains how enrichment influences feeding behavior, pig welfare, and early health indicators while addressing performance outcomes and commercial feasibility. Learn how feeder behavior could support earlier health detection. Listen now on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article!

"Enrichment can improve pig welfare even when it does not translate into better performance."

Meet the guest: Dr. Emiline Sundman is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Iowa State University. Her work examines animal welfare through behavioral and epidemiological approaches. She earned a PhD in Population Sciences in Animal Health and a master's degree in Animal Physiology with an ethology focus from Iowa State University. Her master's research explored biologically relevant environmental enrichment to improve swine livability.

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What you will learn: 
(00:00) Highlight
(01:35) Introduction
(02:50) Enrichment study design
(05:18) Performance results
(06:35) Welfare implications
(08:21) Commercial feasibility
(10:09) Feeder behavior and health
(11:24) Closing thoughts

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

* Kemin
* Fortiva

- DietForge
- Gilt
- Essential Ag Solutions
- Barentz

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.
Website: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
LinkedIn: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
Instagram: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
Facebook: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
TikTok: The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast