LifeStart Swine articles

With up to 40% of piglets born at risk, Dr. Emma Baxter calls for smarter farrowing strategies, sow fitness and practical tools to boost early-life survival.

Sarah Mikesell, editor at The Pig Site working in collaboration with LifeStart Swine, recently spoke to Dr. Aline Remus, a research scientist at the Sherbrooke R&D Center at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada based in Quebec.  Dr. Remus' research focuses on precision nutrition and metabolism in pigs.

Dr. Marcelo Gottschalk speaks to Sarah Mikesell, editor of The Pig Site, working in collaboration with LifeStart Swine. Dr. Gottschalk is a full professor at the Department of Pathology and Microbiology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal. He is the director of the International Reference Laboratory for swine pleuropneumonia and the International Reference Laboratory for Streptococcus suis, an important swine and human pathogen. He is also a consultant to the World Health Organization on human disease caused by Strep. suis.

Discover expert tips on training pig caregivers in this Q&A with pig industry consultant Graeme Pope. The article explores the essential traits of a good stockperson, the value of ongoing training, and how positive handling improves both pig welfare and farm productivity.

Learn effective gilt management strategies to boost sow lifetime productivity. This video covers key practices in selection, nutrition, and care to support long-term reproductive success.

Learn how to systematically assess biosecurity risks in swine production and prioritize hazards to improve herd health and disease prevention.

Discover expert insights from Dr. Nicoline Soede on the impact of body condition loss in young sows during lactation. Learn how it affects fertility, milk production, and long-term sow health, and explore strategies to improve outcomes in swine reproduction.

With current genetics and highly prolific sows the industry has developed over the last few years, it leaves producers challenged by larger litters and more piglets born with low birth weights. Dr. Ramon Muns, Principal Scientific Officer at Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Northern Ireland, UK, has been conducting research to solve this issue, looking for new, innovative options for farms.

Dr. Juan Peralvo from Trouw Nutrition a specialist in pig gut health looks at the development of ulcers and how they can affect sow and piglet productivity.