Dr. Sarah Pearce: Stress as a Nutrient Thief | Ep. 231

Dr. Sarah Pearce: Stress as a Nutrient Thief | Ep. 231

Author: Wisenetix July 9, 2026 Duration: 8:24
In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Sarah Pearce, Research Animal Physiologist with USDA ARS, explains why stress can act as a nutrient thief in pigs. She discusses gastrointestinal health, barrier integrity, inflammation, feed efficiency, stress interactions, and emerging biomarkers that may help predict performance challenges before they occur. Listen now on all major platforms! Click here to read the full research article: https://academic.oup.com/af/article/16/3/5/8490630 "Stress can steal calories and nutrients because energy normally used for growth is redirected toward immune activation, gut repair, and other costly survival responses." Meet the guest: Dr. Sarah Pearce https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-pearce-phd-3a5881a5/ earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from Iowa State University and currently serves as a Research Animal Physiologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service. Her research focuses on gastrointestinal physiology, nutrition, stress biology, immune function, and productivity in pigs and poultry. Learn more from Dr. Sarah Pearce on the Swine Nutrition Black Belt Podcast, available on all major platforms. Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love! https://www.wisenetix.com/blog?tag=the+swine+nutrition+blackbelt+podcast What you will learn: (00:00) Highlight (01:05) Introduction (01:50) Stress redirects nutrients (03:17) Multiple stressors (05:07) Gut barrier (06:11) Biomarker prediction (07:21) Research tools (08:05) Closing thoughts The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like: * Fortiva (https://fortivaimpact.com) * Kemin (https://www.kemin.com/na/en-us/markets/animal/swine) - DietForge (https://dietforge.ai/) - Essential Ag Solutions (https://essentialag.com/) - Barentz (https://www.barentz-na.com/animalnutrition) - The Owner's Box (https://ownersbox.io/) - Elevate (https://elevateagents.ai/) - WiseVAs (https://www.wisevas.io/) - ZentrixOS (https://zentrixos.com/) - Zentrix Insights (https://zentrixinsights.com/) 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺. Website: https://swinenutritionblackbelt.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swinecampus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swinecampus/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SwineCampus/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@swinecampus_

For swine nutritionists, the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming, and finding truly actionable insights is a constant challenge. The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, presented by Wisenetix, cuts through the noise by delivering concentrated wisdom from leading global experts. Each episode is designed to fit into a busy schedule, offering a focused, nine-minute dive into a specific topic that's actually working in the field today. You'll hear directly from researchers and practitioners at the forefront of the industry, discussing practical applications, emerging research, and nutritional strategies without the fluff. This isn't about theoretical deep dives; it's about what you can apply right now. The conversations are candid and geared toward professionals who need to stay current but are pressed for time. Tuning into this science-focused podcast means gaining a regular dose of peer-level insight, transforming a short commute or break into a genuine professional development session. It’s built for those who believe expertise should be accessible and efficient, providing a consistent stream of knowledge to help refine your approach and decision-making in swine nutrition.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Dr. Anja Strathe: Sow Feeding & Nutrition - Part 2 | Ep. 209 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:09
In this special episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, we bring you the second part of our crossover conversation with The Swine it Podcast Show Canada. Co-host Dr. Ruurd Zijlstra continues the discussion with…
Dr. Anja Strathe: Sow Feeding & Nutrition - Part 1 | Ep. 207 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:33
In this special episode of the Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, we bring you a crossover with The Swine it Podcast Show Canada. Co-host Dr. Ruurd Zijlstra sits down with Dr. Anja Strathe from the University of Copenhag…
Dr. Chad Hastad: Mycotoxin and Endotoxin Control | Ep. 206 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:54
In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Chad Hastad from New Fashion Pork explains how mycotoxins and endotoxins influence enteric stability and post-weaning performance. He outlines key risk points…
Dr. Charlotte Lauridsen: Nutritional Immunology in Pigs | Ep. 204 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:13
In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Charlotte Lauridsen from Aarhus University explains how oxidative stress and inflammation affect pig health and productivity. She discusses how immune activit…
Dr. Chris Hostetler: Nutrient Utilization Consortium | Ep. 203 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:49
In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Chris Hostetler, Director of Animal Science at the National Pork Board, discusses the work of the Nutrient Utilization Consortium and its impact on the swine…
Dr. Taw Scaff: Boar Nutrition Strategies | Ep. 202 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:35
In this special rerun episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Taw Scaff from North Dakota State University discusses the importance of boar nutrition and its direct link to sperm quality and fertility. He e…
Dr. Ashley DeDecker: Health Compliance in Swine | Ep. 201 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:36
In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Ashley DeDecker from Smithfield Foods discusses the economic and health importance of vaccine compliance in swine production. She explains how proper vaccine…
Dr. Lee Johnston: Fetal Programming in Swine | Ep. 200 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:20
In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Lee Johnston from the University of Minnesota, discusses how nutrition during gestation influences fetal programming and lifetime pig performance. He explains…