Savannah Thomson, a second-year student at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, received the 2024 Morrison Swine Innovator Prize, an award given to veterinary students who want to make a difference in swine health and production.
The award was presented on Sept. 23 at the annual Allen D. Leman Swine Conference hosted by the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). All North American veterinary students interested in swine health and production were eligible.
Thomson was chosen for this award by a jury of swine practitioners for her presentation, “A Practical Method of Establishing Sow Height Dimensions: The Pig-O-Meter—An innovative method to morphometrics of sows.”
In her project, Thomson sought to find a means of collecting data that could potentially be used to prevent sow deaths caused by pelvic organ prolapse that occur soon after giving birth. While veterinarians use quantitative pelvic measurements to predict calving and lambing ease and prolapse, the pig industry lacks these parameters, also known as morphometrics.
During a summer internship, Thomson and her collaborators collected data from 700 sows a week before each gave birth, measuring the height of the ilium (pelvic crest) and the tail. To accomplish this, Thomson developed the Pig-O-Meter, a yardstick outfitted with 3-D printed components—a “pedal” that slid up and down the stick to capture height data and a “foot” to keep the yardstick perpendicular to the floor.
“Overall, this design has created a building block for future projects centered around morphometrics and sow livability,” Thomson says. “The Pig-O-Meter development and implementation were great opportunities to practice problem-solving to address a sow welfare and health problem.”
Thomson received a cash award of $5,000 plus complimentary registration and travel costs to attend the Leman Swine Conference. The Morrison Swine Innovator Prize honors the legacy of the late Bob Morrison, DVM, PhD, MBA, who coordinated the conference for many years. The prize is sponsored by leading swine producers, veterinary practices, and industry partners.
“Savannah looked at a real issue in swine farming—pelvic organ prolapses—used knowledge from different species and designed a practical tool to be used every day, on the farm, to identify at-risk sows,” says Dr. Perle Zhitnitskiy, a CVM professor who coordinates the Morrison Swine Innovator Prize. “She kept biosecurity and economic efficiency in mind for her design and demonstrated true innovation, in the spirit of the award.”
The Allen D. Leman Swine Conference is an annual educational event for the global swine industry. It is internationally acclaimed for bringing science-driven solutions to the complex challenges facing the industry. Hundreds of participants from more than 20 countries attend each year, including swine veterinarians and other professionals working in swine production and animal health management.
The 2025 Leman Conference will be held Sept. 20–23 in St. Paul.
[Source: University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine 26 September 2024]