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Dying Navy Veteran Receives Pig Heart Transplant

Surgeons have successfully transplanted a pig’s heart into a dying man – only the second patient to undergo such an experimental feat, the Associated Press (AP) reports. Two days after his surgery, the man was cracking jokes and able to sit in a chair, Maryland doctors told AP on Friday.

Lawrence Faucette, a 58-year-old Navy veteran from Frederick, Md., was facing near-certain death from heart failure. Unfortunately other health problems meant he wasn’t eligible for a traditional heart transplant,  doctors at University of Maryland Medicine told AP.

Doctors said they were thrilled at Faucette’s early response to the pig organ, but pointed out that the next few weeks are critical.

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Optimizing Piglet Gut Health for Performance - Dr. Marco de Mik

Video: Optimizing Piglet Gut Health for Performance - Dr. Marco de Mik


In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, we revisit a conversation with Dr. Marco de Mik, Senior Consultant at Schothorst Feed Research, who explores how to enhance gastrointestinal health in piglets for optimal growth. He shares his expertise on how feed formulation, stomach function, and gastrointestinal health directly impact the pig’s growth and development. Learn how to balance nutrient absorption, reduce diarrhea risks, and optimize feed performance. Tune in on all major platforms!

Click here to read the full research article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...

"The stomach is the first barrier to kill bacteria, and it’s crucial for storage, digestion, and antibacterial functions. All of these contribute to overall gastrointestinal health."

Meet the guest: Dr. Marco de Mik / mdemik holds a veterinary medicine degree from Utrecht University and an M.Sc. in Animal Nutrition from Wageningen University. With over a decade of experience in swine nutrition, he currently works as a Senior Consultant at Schothorst Feed Research. He specializes in feed formulation, animal physiology, and metabolism.