In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Troy Kaiser from Boehringer Ingelheim shares the latest on PCV2 immunization innovation and how shifting genotypes influence swine health protocols. He details safety and efficacy trials, label claims, and what this means for herd-level protection. Learn what’s next in immunization strategy and how to optimize immunity. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Even without overt clinical signs, PCV2 can still impact growth, performance, efficiency, and herd consistency."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Troy Kaiser is a Principal Scientist and Clinical Project Lead & Laboratory Study Lead for livestock immunizers at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, leading clinical studies for swine immunizer development. He earned his B.S. and M.S. from South Dakota State University, followed by his DVM. from Iowa State University. With decades of experience in swine virology, his work focuses on advancing the efficacy and safety of immunizers for PCV2.

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Dr. Pablo Piñeyro: PCV4 & Co-infections | Ep. 139

Dr. Tyler Bauman: PRRS Control in Grow-Finish Pigs | Ep. 156

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:54) Introduction
• (03:49) PCV2 trends
• (05:14) Efficacy testing
• (06:06) Message for producers
• (09:51) Protection strategy
• (11:24) Safety profile standards
• (15:17) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Elanco

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

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In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Rodrigo Paiva from Iowa State University explores how E. coli genotypes in swine have evolved over the last decade. He shares critical insights from a retrospective study and discusses why certain virulence factors are increasing in prevalence. Learn what this shift means for post-weaning diarrhea and disease management. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Many E.coli strains contain multiple toxin genes, causing both secretory diarrhea and edema disease."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Rodrigo Paiva is a Graduate Research Assistant and Ph.D. candidate in Animal Health at Iowa State University, with a Master’s in Veterinary Preventive Medicine. His academic and diagnostic lab experience focuses on E. coli characterization and antimicrobial resistance in swine.

Click here to read the full research article!

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:58) Introduction
• (03:16) E. coli nomenclature
• (05:48) Virulence factors explained
• (07:22) Genotype evolution
• (09:14) Shifting genotypes
• (11:32) Mutation and selection
• (13:23) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Aaron Juergens, owner of Juergens INC, shares practical biosecurity strategies to combat swine health challenges, especially in the face of emerging PRRS strains. He explains how cleaning protocols, inspection timing, and transportation hygiene directly impact herd health and operational efficiency. Learn how collaboration and communication strengthen on-farm biosecurity. Listen now on all major platforms!

"You’ve got to be patient, but communicate challenges so everyone downstream can plan accordingly."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Aaron Juergens holds a degree in Business Management from Loras College and has spent over two decades in swine production, management, and leadership. As the owner of Juergens Inc, and an active contributor to state and national pork organizations, his expertise spans operations, environmental stewardship, and biosecurity practices.

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What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:56) Introduction
• (02:15) PRRS outbreak impact
• (03:42) Facility cleaning insights
• (05:43) Washing timeframes
• (10:19) Truck biosecurity
• (14:23) Communication in logistics
• (15:56) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Fernando Leite from Boehringer Ingelheim explores how different PCV2 genotypes impact immunity in swine. He shares findings from a recent trial comparing homologous and heterologous vaccination strategies under real-world challenge conditions with PRRSV. Learn how genotype 2d immunized pigs performed and why this may offer superior protection.

"The PCV2d genotype today is the most prevalent genotype, and it has been for some years now."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Fernando Leite earned his DVM in Brazil and completed his M.S. at Iowa State University and Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, focusing on swine infectious diseases. He currently serves as Associate Director of Technical Marketing for Swine at Boehringer Ingelheim.

Click here to read the full research article!

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Dr. Pablo Piñeyro: PCV4 & Co-infections | Ep. 139

Dr. Reid Philips: PRRS Vaccine Efficacy | Ep. 143

Dr. Tyler Bauman: PRRS Control in Grow-Finish Pigs | Ep. 156

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:16) Introduction
• (03:05) PCV2d genotype prevalence
• (04:11) Immunization efficacy comparison
• (05:37) Homologous vs heterologous use
• (06:35) Comparing efficacy results
• (09:30) Field application strategies
• (12:03) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Farm Health Guardian

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Nele Caekebeke, CEO of Biocheck.UGent, explains how coaching techniques can transform biosecurity implementation on swine farms. She shares the importance of understanding farmer behavior, effective communication strategies, and the use of benchmarking tools to assess risk. Listen now on all major platforms!

"We really see coaching as a two-way interaction with the farmer, focusing on their goals and expectations."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Nele Caekebeke is the CEO of Biocheck.UGent and holds a Ph.D. in coaching swine and poultry producers to improve infection prevention. With over eight years of experience at Ghent University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, she specializes in livestock biosecurity and epidemiology.

Click here to read the full research article!

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

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:02) Introduction
• (02:57) Coaching vs advising
• (03:49) Improving communication
• (05:59) Farmer behavior focus
• (08:52) Biosecurity tools explained
• (11:54) Coaching education gap
• (13:38) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Farm Health Guardian

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Jeff Zimmerman from Iowa State University explains how active participatory surveillance can transform disease detection and response across the swine industry. He highlights efficient sampling methods, cost considerations, and the role of US SHIP (Swine Health Improvement Plan) in ensuring business continuity during outbreaks. Learn what producers can do today to safeguard tomorrow. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Targeted sampling means collecting samples from good candidates—you're testing is likely to be more efficient and cheaper."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Jeffrey Zimmerman holds a DVM, MS, and PhD from Iowa State University, where he now serves as Professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. His work focuses on swine infectious disease diagnostics, epidemiology, and economics. With expertise in assay development and surveillance systems like US SHIP, Dr. Zimmerman offers essential insights for maintaining swine health across the U.S. swine industry.

Click here to read the full research article!

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

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:56) Introduction
• (03:00) Active surveillance models
• (04:40) Targeted sample strategies
• (06:28) Producer participation
• (09:00) Surveillance system sensitivity
• (13:07) US SHIP involvement
• (14:56) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Farm Health Guardian

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Arthur Finatto, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, explores the role of porcine beta-defensin peptides in boosting swine immunity. He explains how these molecules fight both bacterial and viral infections, modulate inflammation, and offer promise for swine dysentery management. Learn how genetic selection and nutrition could optimize their expression. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Porcine β-defensin five is a naturally produced peptides that help pigs combat bacterial and viral infections at a cellular level."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Arthur Finatto earned his D.V.M. from Universidade de Passo Fundo, an M.Sc. in Animal Welfare & Epigenetics from the University of São Paulo, and a Ph.D. in Swine Health from the University of Saskatchewan. Now a postdoctoral researcher in swine health and immunology, his work explores host defense peptides and mucosal immunity.

Click here to read the full research articles:

Porcine β-defensin 5 (pBD-5) modulates the inflammatory and metabolic host intestinal response to infection

Active Participatory Regional Surveillance for Notifiable Swine Pathogens

To learn more, visit:

US Swine Health Improvement Plan

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

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (01:06) Introduction
• (02:33) Porcine defensin discovery
• (04:05) Mechanism of action
• (06:26) Breed and nutritional impact
• (08:36) Swine dysentery link
• (10:46) Future applications
• (12:06) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Farm Health Guardian

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Mariamawit Mohammed from Iowa State University shares her work on pathogen diversity in Live Virus Inoculation (LVI) materials. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS), she discusses the variability in LVI materials used in the swine industry, highlighting pathogen risks and implications for herd health. Learn how LVI practices may influence herd stability and loss rates. Listen now on all major platforms!

"The recommendation would be to really make sure that we have a pure, good quality LVI. If we manage to keep doing that, we can reach a good time to stability sooner with fewer losses."

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁: Dr. Mariamawit Zekarias Mohammed is a postgraduate student and researcher at Iowa State University, with a focus on the genome of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). She earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees in Ethiopia. Her work evaluates PRRSV lineages, LVI preparation methods, and pathogen variability.

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Dr. Chris Rademacher: Practical Sow Health Tips | Ep. 125

Dr. Pablo Piñeyro: PCV4 & Co-infections | Ep. 139

Dr. Reid Philips: PRRS Vaccine Efficacy | Ep. 143

What you will learn:

• (00:00) Highlight
• (00:40) Introduction
• (02:08) Research on LVI materials
• (03:20) Scope of research & findings
• (04:53) Variations in LVI preparation
• (06:07) Pathogens discovered in LVI
• (08:15) Implications for herd health
• (10:35) Closing thoughts

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

* Boehringer Ingelheim

- Farm Health Guardian

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.

Website: The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast

Instagram: Swine Campus

LinkedIn: Swine Campus