LIVE webinar: Monday, June 22, 2026 · 3:00 PM CEST

Gut health is no longer a niche topic. As pharmacological zinc, in-feed antibiotics, and high-dose copper come under tightening regulation, swine and poultry producers are being asked to protect animal performance with a shrinking toolbox — and growing scrutiny from buyers, regulators, and sustainability frameworks.

In this 30–45 minute session, Dr. Samuel Gerrard (Virginia Tech) and Dr. Winston A. Samuels (Maxx Performance) walk through what’s actually working. Dr. Gerrard frames the post-weaning “storm” and the biology of gut instability, then presents new Virginia Tech data on microencapsulated zinc at 95%+ below the pharmacological dose. Dr. Samuels explains why most gut-health additives fail before they help — and how particle-level microencapsulation enables targeted release where the biology demands it. Together they share validated results from swine and poultry trials, including independent academic work from Virginia Tech and field data from Maxx customers.

Designed for nutritionists, formulators, integrators, veterinarians, and purchasing decision-makers in swine and poultry production worldwide.

Speakers

Dr. Samuel Gerrard, DVM, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow in Nutritional Physiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA, USA

Biography:

Dr. Samuel Gerrard is a USDA postdoctoral fellow in nutritional physiology at Virginia Tech, where his work focuses on how weaning stressors shape pig health, nutrient utilization, and growth. He holds a concurrent DVM/PhD from Virginia Tech and a BS in Animal Science from Iowa State. In August 2026 he joins the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine faculty as Assistant Professor of Swine Production Medicine.


Dr. Winston A. Samuels, PhD

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer, Maxx Performance Inc.

Biography:

Dr. Winston A. Samuels is Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of Maxx Performance, with over 30 years across food and animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and microencapsulation. Previously Vice President and General Manager of Balchem Encapsulates, he holds a PhD and MS in Nutrition and Animal Science from Virginia Tech and a BS in Animal and Poultry Sciences from Tuskegee University. He is a Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Hall of Fame inductee.

Host

 

Zana van Dijk

Editor Food & AgriBusiness

 

 

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