The Swine it Podcast Show Canada - #38 - Elevating Pig Welfare: Unraveling the Impacts of Chronic Stress

In this insightful episode, we are joined by special guest Dr. Martyna Lagoda, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Lagoda delves into her research on chronic stress in sows and its impact on their piglets, drawing from her expertise in sow and piglet welfare. She explores factors such as group housing, locomotion, prenatal stress, and how these affect the offspring. Additionally, Dr. Lagoda discusses the use of hair cortisol measurements and underscores the importance of individual-level studies. This episode illuminates the critical need to address chronic stress to enhance both the well-being and productivity of pigs.

What you’ll learn:

• Swine housing impacts sow welfare
• The impact of chronic stress on sow productivity
• Methodologies used in measuring cortisol in swine
• Prenatal stress experienced by sows
• Carcass-based indicators to assess the welfare of swine retrospectively

Meet the guest:

Dr. Martyna Lagoda

Dr. Martyna Lagoda, currently a Post-doctoral Fellow in Swine Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Saskatchewan, brings a rich background in animal sciences. She completed her Ph.D. at the Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, and holds a Master's in Animal Behaviour and Welfare from Queen's University Belfast. With a Bachelor's in Zoology from Trinity College Dublin, her past role includes serving as a 'TailBiteAdvice' Technologist at Teagasc. Dr. Lagoda's expertise focuses on enhancing the understanding and improvement of swine welfare.

Connect with our guest on Social Media: LinkedIn