The Swine it Podcast Show Canada - Dr. Karolína Steinerová: Play Opportunities for Swine | Ep. 118

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Karolína Steinerová explores how promoting play behavior in pigs supports welfare, resilience, and growth performance. She discusses her PhD research findings, the practical application of enrichment materials, and the role of positive emotional states in disease resistance. Learn how welfare can drive productivity in swine herds. Listen now on all major platforms!

What will you learn: 

• Play behavior benefits
• Emotional health indicators
• Practical enrichment tools
• Welfare and immune response
• Knowledge transfer strategies

Meet the guest:

Dr. Karolína Steinerová holds a BSc in Animal Protection and Welfare, an MSc in Animal Science from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and a PhD in Swine Behaviour and Welfare from the University of Saskatchewan. She currently manages Producer Services at Sask Pork, leading on-farm animal welfare programs and education.
Connect with our guest on Social Media: LinkedIn

Click here to read the full research articles:

Rearing pigs with play opportunities: the effects on disease resilience in pigs experimentally inoculated with PRRSV

The promotion of play behaviour in grow-finish pigs: The relationship between behaviours indicating positive experience and physiological measures

Exploring the effect of play on heart rate variability as a measure of positive emotional states in pigs

Regular play opportunities during the grow-finish phase improve pig trainability and learning in a cognitive bias test

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