Approachable and Practical

Jan 07, 2026

The data was readily available to swine producers.

But the College of Veterinary Medicine Field Epidemiology Team felt more was needed.

A monthly Swine Disease Reporting System (SDRS) podcast has been created and maintained by the Field Epidemiology Team to fill that void.

“While monthly reports and real-time updated dashboards provided detailed data, the podcast turns those findings into conversations that are more approachable and practical for busy professionals,” said Dr. Quyen Thuc Le, research assistant in the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine. “Because episodes can be listened to while driving, commuting or working, the podcast format helps us reach a wider audience and share timely context from investigators and guest experts.”

The SDRS podcast has been running since April 2022 and is released monthly. Ranging from 20 to 30 minutes in length, the podcasts feature discussion among SDRS investigators and guest experts.

Each episode highlights diagnostic data trends, emerging pathogens and their implications for the swine industry while making complex findings accessible and practical for veterinarians, producers and students.

SDRS monitors and reports diagnostic data for 10 primary swine pathogens. Additionally, over 50 confirmed porcine diseases from tissue cases are covered.

Swine veterinarians, producers, researchers and industry stakeholders from around the globe all tune into the podcast

“By sharing timely insights in this accessible way, the podcast has become a key channel for connecting with the industry and supporting informed decision-marking,” Quyen Le said. “Our goal is to ensure that diagnostic trends are not only available, but also meaningful and useful in everyday decision-making.”

SDRS is a collaborative project funded by competitive grants from the Swine Health Information Center and the USDA. The report aggregates diagnostic data from multiple U.S. veterinary diagnostic laboratories, monitoring across the United States while focusing on states that have more than 2 million pigs.

Source : iastate.edu

Video: Genetics vs Genomics in Swine - Dr. Max Rothschild

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Max Rothschild, Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University, explains how genetics and genomics have transformed swine production. He explores genomic selection, key gene discoveries, and the role of gene editing in improving disease resistance and productivity. Practical insights on litter size, meat quality, and industry adoption are also discussed. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Genetic improvement in swine production accelerated significantly once molecular tools enabled identification of DNA level variation influencing growth, reproduction, and meat quality across commercial populations."

Meet the guest: Dr. Max Rothschild / max-f-rothschild-b3800312 earned his PhD in Animal Breeding from Cornell University and has spent over four decades at Iowa State University advancing swine genetics and genomics. His research focuses on genetic improvement, disease resistance, and molecular tools for swine production. A leader in pig genome research, his work has shaped modern breeding strategies.