Popular Pig

Matthew Rooda

Welcome to the Popular Pig Podcast. A convenient place where you can stay up to date on what’s popular in the swine industry. By listening to Popular Pig, you will receive invaluable information on the latest trends, news, and research from various experts that guide the global pork industry.

  1. 4H AGO

    The Real Cost of Mortality and Why It Matters | Dr Derald Holtkamp

    About the Guest Dr. Derald Holtkamp is a Professor in the Department of Veterinary Diagnostics and Production Animal Medicine (VDPAM) in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa, U.S.). He received his DVM, MS in Agricultural Economics, and B.S. in Agricultural Business with a minor in statistics, all from Iowa State University. Prior to joining Iowa State, he was a private veterinary consultant. He has also served as a technical services veterinarian for ADViSYS Inc., Vice President of Swine Applications for MetaFarms Inc., Director of Pork Development for E-Markets, Inc., and veterinarian for Smithfield Foods in Warsaw, North Carolina. Dr. Holtkamp’s research focuses on managing infectious swine diseases, biosecurity, disease risk assessment, and the economics of animal health and disease. He has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications, delivered over 70 invited presentations internationally, and given more than 220 invited talks across the United States. In addition, he has mentored over 275 professional and graduate students. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? How pig mortality directly impacts US competitiveness and why productivity gaps matter far beyond individual farms. What global benchmarking data shows about how the US compares to countries like Brazil and why mortality is a major driver. How PRRS continues to play a significant role in lost productivity and why its true economic impact is likely underestimated. Why biosecurity failures are usually tied to everyday processes, not rare events or one time mistakes. How identifying, prioritizing, and monitoring biosecurity risks matters more than debating rules like downtime length.

    41 min

  2. FEB 5

    Building Farmer Grade on Trust, Not Claims | Sawyer and Tork Whisler

    About the Guests Sawyer Whisler is an Iowa hog farmer and the co-founder of Farmer Grade. He built an audience by sharing real day-to-day farm life through the @thislldofarm channel and later launched the Barn Talk podcast. His father, Tork Whisler, is part of the father-son dynamic behind the show and the long-term focus on trust and credibility. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? How Barn Talk grew from farm YouTube videos showing modern hog farming day to day. Why authenticity on camera matters when showing the good, bad, and frustrating moments. How the Barn Talk studio came together in a hayloft barn that had never been uncovered. Why avoiding sponsorships can protect credibility and help keep a weekly show sustainable. How Farmer Grade started when people asked to buy pork based on trust, not claims.

    57 min

  3. JAN 29

    Novel Strategies to Select for Livability | Jenelle Dunkelberger, PhD

    About the Guest Jenelle Dunkelberger has worked as a geneticist at Topigs Norsvin for the past eight years. She holds a PhD from Iowa State University, where the focus of her research was on the role of host genetics in response to viral disease in pigs. She continues to study this topic, along with other health-related issues, as Head of the Topigs Norsvin Global Health and Behavior Research Platform. Jenelle resides in Minnesota with her husband and young boys. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? Why improving pig livability through genetics is not as simple as it sounds and why what we measure matters more than what we assume. How collecting data from commercial herds helps reveal traits like resilience, robustness, and longevity that elite nucleus animals never get the chance to show. How genetic selection is being used today to reduce sow death loss tied to feet and leg issues, prolapse, and unknown sudden death. Why disease resilience can only be improved by measuring performance under real disease pressure, not ideal conditions. Jenelle’s Golden Nugget

    45 min

  4. JAN 22

    Modernizing Execution in Pig Production | P.J. Corns

    About the Guest PJ Corns is the Technical Director for JBS Live Pork, Greeley, CO. Responsible for nearly 260,000 sows, boar studs and gilt development units across the Midwest. PJ has spent his entire career forging world class results with every step from managing large sow units in North Carolina, to working internationally with PIC and his own consultancy firm where his involvement in well over 2 million sows was driven by delivering results based upon proven protocols, system maximization, people development and biosecurity implementation and execution. PJ joined JBS in his current role in September, 2021. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? Why the best farms don’t just “track KPIs” — they focus on what they can improve today. How to stop relying on lagging data (like farrowing rate or closeouts) and start using leading indicators. Why execution on the farm matters more than having the “perfect” SOP. Where AI is headed in pig production — and why it only works if people follow through and execute. PJ’s Golden Nugget

    1h 15m

  5. JAN 15

    The Real Economics Behind Pig Livability | Dr. Clayton Johnson

    About the Guest Dr. Clayton Johnson is a globally recognized swine health expert with Carthage Veterinary Services in Carthage, Illinois. A 2008 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, he began his career with The Maschhoffs, LLC—where he helped double sow production—and later joined Carthage in 2016 to lead company health initiatives. Internationally recognized for pioneering bioeconomic models to manage PRRS and PEDrelated diseases, he’s a sought-after consultant in China, Southeast Asia, and beyond. In 2020, Dr. Johnson received the prestigious Allen D. Leman Science in Practice Award for excellence in integrating scientific rigor into swine health management. He is licensed in seven states, leads a team of veterinary professionals, and, beyond veterinary practice, hosts “The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast” a weekly podcast series reaching a global audience of +100,000 listeners serving to distill complex swine health research into actionable insights. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? Why pig livability decisions range from quick, day to day treatment calls to major capital investments and why they should not be evaluated the same way. How biosecurity functions more like insurance than a line item expense and why doing it right often goes unnoticed until it fails. Why preventing disease on the front end usually delivers more value than managing problems after pigs get sick. How economics, animal care, employee experience, and long term operation health all need to be considered together when making decisions. Clayton’s Golden Nugget

    32 min

  6. JAN 8

    Taste, Data, and the Future of Pork | Kiersten Hafer

    About the Guest Kiersten Hafer is Vice President of Business Intelligence and Innovation for the National Pork Board and provides strategy, insights and guidance to the pork industry and supply chain on where to play and how to win with pork. She has leveraged her 30 years of experience with Fortune 500 companies and high-growth organizations to uncover and unlock potential, facilitate change and measure expansion. As a lifelong connector and change agent, she has strategized business growth with retailers, marketing agencies, food brokers, food-service operators, market research firms, and consumer goods manufacturers. Before her role with the National Pork Board, she served as vice president of marketing for Clemens Food Group where she was responsible for marketing, innovation and business insights across its retail and food-service businesses. Hafer is a graduate of Saint Joseph’s University with a Master of Science degree in food marketing from the Haub School of Business. She resides in the Greater Philadelphia region with her husband, two children and two golden retrievers. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? Why pork’s future growth depends on understanding today’s consumer and not just producing a great product. How data and business intelligence are being used to help sell more pork at retail and food-service. Why younger consumers want bold flavors, global cuisine, and finished dishes; not whole muscle cuts. How rethinking naming, portion size, and presentation can remove barriers to buying fresh pork. Kiersten’s “Golden Nugget”

    37 min

  7. 12/29/2025

    Crawling Before Running: Making AI Practical in the Swine Industry | Dr. Ben Blair

    About the Guest Ben Blair was raised in Sparta, Illinois, where he grew up helping on his family’s corn, soy, wheat, and farrow-to-finish farm. He always enjoyed the numbers behind how things worked, which led him to study engineering at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. After finishing his engineering degree, he felt the pull back toward animal health and entered the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Following a short time in clinical practice, he returned to Illinois to complete a PhD with Dr. Jim Lowe. His work focused on the cull sow marketing network and strengthened his interest in advanced analytics, machine learning, and applying AI to livestock systems. He then spent two years at the University of Minnesota as a researcher while also running a consulting business centered on data and AI projects in agriculture. In 2023 Blair returned to the University of Illinois, where he now serves as an assistant professor in Livestock Health. His research combines infectious disease modeling with practical applications of AI in veterinary medicine and modern farming. He lives in Villa Grove, Illinois, with his wife Cathy and their three children, Charlie, Liz, and Lincoln. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? How AI really works — breaking down machine learning, computer vision, and language models in everyday terms. Why the swine industry needs “homegrown” AI solutions that understand how farms truly operate. The biggest challenges holding back AI adoption in ag — from messy data to slow decision-making. How “crawl, walk, run” thinking can help farms start small with AI before chasing advanced automation. Ben’s “golden nugget.”

    46 min

  8. 12/18/2025

    Understanding Swine Respiratory Disease and Supporting Herd Health | Dr. Jeff Okones

    About the Guest After earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1984, Dr. Jeff Okones spent nearly two decades in food animal practice in Eastern Iowa honing his expertise in swine health and production. His problem solving and communication skills led him from private practice to industry, first as a phone consultant for Pfizer Animal Health, and later as a Professional Service Veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. where he supported the Swine Sales and Marketing team. In 2020, Jeff joined Pharmgate Animal Health as a Technical Service Veterinarian. Drawing on more than 30 years of hands-on experience, he bridges the gap between science and the barn, helping producers turn complex product data into practical real-world strategies. He’s particularly passionate about vaccine technology and how it can set pigs up for healthier, more productive lives while supporting producers’ bottom lines. When he’s not working with pork producers and veterinarians, you’ll find him golfing, visiting small towns looking for the best pork tenderloin, following Iowa State athletics or spending time with his five grand kids. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? The real-world causes of swine respiratory disease (SRD) and how it often stems from multiple bacteria and stressors, not just one source. The most common bacterial culprits behind SRD and what symptoms to watch for before things get out of hand. Why stressors like weaning, weather swings, and transportation can quickly trigger respiratory issues—and how to prevent them. The role of good husbandry, strong biosecurity, and smart antibiotic use (like Tulissin and Tenotryl) in protecting herd health. Jeff’s “golden nugget.” Products Featured in This Episode These Pharmgate products were discussed as part of SRD management strategies and responsible treatment approaches: Tenotryl Tulissin 25 Tulissin 100

    32 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.4
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Popular Pig Podcast. A convenient place where you can stay up to date on what’s popular in the swine industry. By listening to Popular Pig, you will receive invaluable information on the latest trends, news, and research from various experts that guide the global pork industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Matthew Rooda
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    259
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 - Popular Pig
  • Show Website
    Popular Pig

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