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Sow Retention: Building Success Over Time, By Dr. Debora Holanda, Masterfeeds

Sow Retention is not a new notion, but it is gaining renewed attention as the industry continues to question whether long-standing concepts still hold true to the modern high-prolific sow. One thing, however, has not changed: keeping sows in the herd for longer is more profitable—as long as performance remains strong.

Considering sow lifetime productivity as the total number of quality piglets weaned per sow over her lifetime, producers already know what “good” looks like. The real challenge is consistently achieving it. Success requires focus and discipline across a few critical pillars: excellent gilt recruitment, precision feeding, robust health and welfare systems, skilled and consistent stockmanship with rapid corrective action when things drift off target. Top‑performing herds around the world consistently apply these evidence‑based principles.

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Heat Stress in Pigs: What to Prepare for Before Next Summer - Dr. Joshua Selsby

Video: Heat Stress in Pigs: What to Prepare for Before Next Summer - Dr. Joshua Selsby

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Joshua Selsby from Iowa State University explains how heat stress affects swine biology and why now is the ideal time to prepare for next summer’s challenges. He breaks down its effects on muscle function, immune responses, and long-term metabolic outcomes. Learn how early planning can protect herd performance when temperatures rise again. Listen now on all major platforms! "Heat stress leads to a cascade of biological damage, beginning with metabolic disruption and expanding across multiple organ systems." Meet the guest: Dr. Joshua Selsby is a Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University. With over 15 years of research on skeletal muscle physiology and heat stress, he focuses on understanding how thermal stress disrupts swine metabolism, immune function, and muscle integrity.