Research Examining Stress Hormone Levels in Hair Expected to Interest Breeding Companies

Apr 10, 2023

An international research effort which is looking at the potential of measuring hormone levels in the hair of pigs to identify genetic lines that will be less affected by stress is expected to be of particular interest to breeding companies.
Researchers with Iowa State University, the Universities of Saskatchewan and Alberta and CDPQ are collaborating on a project under which the levels of three stress hormones in the hair of pigs are being measured to evaluate the effect of stress on performance and on disease resilience.
Dr. Jack Dekkers, a distinguished professor in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University and the Principal Investigator, says, by correlating the levels of stress hormones in the hair to growth performance and disease resilience, it should be possible to identify genetic lines of pigs that will be more or less affected by stress.

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Video: Biosecurity Audit Common Findings - Dr. Erin Kettelkamp

In this episode of The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Erin Kettelkamp from Swine Vet Center reviews common biosecurity audit findings from the Spring 2026 outbreak season across the Midwest. She explains how PRRS pressure exposed filtration leaks, transport gaps, smoke testing needs, and daily execution issues that can weaken even strong biosecurity investments. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Basic biosecurity execution can determine whether a filtration investment delivers real protection or leaves costly gaps exposed."

Meet the guest: Dr. Erin Kettelkamp is a consulting swine veterinarian with Swine Vet Center in northern Illinois. She specializes in herd health, biosecurity, and disease prevention across all phases of swine production, with applied field research focused on disease prevention and practical biosecurity solutions. Learn more from Dr. Erin Kettelkamp on The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.