Dr. Emma Helm: Lawsonia & Pig Microbiota | Ep. 201

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Emma Helm, Research Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech, explains how Lawsonia intracellularis infection alters the swine gut microbiota and microbial metabolism. She shares findings on microbial shifts, nucleotide synthesis, amino acid biosynthesis, and impacts on feed efficiency. Learn practical insights on biomarkers, nutrition strategies, and vaccination programs. Listen now on all major platforms! "If a pig does not have any resident microbiota, classic colitis induced by Lawsonia intracellularis cannot develop, showing a required interaction with the resident microbiota." Meet the guest: Dr. Emma Helm https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-helm15/ is a Research Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from Iowa State University, focusing on swine intestinal integrity, function, and skeletal muscle metabolism during pathogenic challenges. Her research explores biological mechanisms that define swine physiology, especially intestinal development and stress responses. Click here to read the full research article: https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-025-00501-0 Liked this one? Don’t stop now — Here’s what we think you’ll love! https://www.wisenetix.com/blog?tag=the+swine+health+blackbelt What you will learn: (00:00) Highlight (00:36) Introduction (01:41) Lawsonia overview (02:37) Microbiota interaction (04:29) Challenge model results (07:35) Metabolic shifts (09:53) Farm application (11:22) Final Questions The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast is trusted and supported by innovative companies like: * Boehringer Ingelheim (https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/) - Ralco (https://www.ralcoagriculture.com/) 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺. Website: https://swinehealthblackbelt.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swinecampus/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/80692493