The Real Economics Behind Pig Livability | Dr. Clayton Johnson

About the Guest Dr. Clayton Johnson is a globally recognized swine health expert with Carthage Veterinary Services in Carthage, Illinois. A 2008 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, he began his career with The Maschhoffs, LLC—where he helped double sow production—and later joined Carthage in 2016 to lead company health initiatives. Internationally recognized for pioneering bioeconomic models to manage PRRS and PEDrelated diseases, he’s a sought-after consultant in China, Southeast Asia, and beyond. In 2020, Dr. Johnson received the prestigious Allen D. Leman Science in Practice Award for excellence in integrating scientific rigor into swine health management. He is licensed in seven states, leads a team of veterinary professionals, and, beyond veterinary practice, hosts “The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast” a weekly podcast series reaching a global audience of +100,000 listeners serving to distill complex swine health research into actionable insights. What can you expect to learn from this episode of Popular Pig? Why pig livability decisions range from quick, day to day treatment calls to major capital investments and why they should not be evaluated the same way. How biosecurity functions more like insurance than a line item expense and why doing it right often goes unnoticed until it fails. Why preventing disease on the front end usually delivers more value than managing problems after pigs get sick. How economics, animal care, employee experience, and long term operation health all need to be considered together when making decisions. Clayton’s Golden Nugget