The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) held its 56th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, March 1-4, 2025, at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis. During the planning meeting in June 2024, Program Chair and AASV President-elect Dr. Locke Karriker asked the 2025 program planning committee to build an agenda that amplified quality science while embracing new topics reflective of the changing practice environment. In San Francisco, he challenged attendees to seize the opportunity to remind the world why swine veterinarians and AASV members are uniquely qualified to “Be the Pig’s Champion.”
As reported during the annual AASV business meeting held March 4, the conference drew 900 total attendees, including 79 veterinary students from 22 universities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The total attendance also included 217 exhibit representatives from 85 companies and organizations, 5 media representatives, and 9 honored guests. Including the United States, 24 countries were represented; 20 percent of attendees came from outside of the United States. These preliminary numbers are yet to be confirmed.
Meeting participants benefited from the opportunity to learn from 208 speakers and poster presenters. The educational sessions included 10 preconference seminars, 2 general sessions, 3 concurrent sessions, Research Topics and Industrial Partners sessions, the Student Seminar, and a session featuring posters from students, researchers, and industrial partners.
Preconference seminars included topics about boar stud issues, pork safety, pig welfare, artificial intelligence, biosecurity, swine lameness, and public policy. The seminar Be the Pig’s Champion with Effective Herd Visits targeted early career veterinarians and specifically hosted participants in AASV’s Early-Career Swine Veterinarian Development Program. As always, the Swine Medicine for Students preconference seminar was well attended by veterinary students. On Sunday afternoon, veterinary students highlighted their research and experience to a large crowd during the Student Seminar.
The ever-popular Dr. Max Rodibaugh Memorial Practice Tips preconference seminar drew the most attendees. It was co-chaired by Drs. Jessica Risser and Melissa Billing and judged by volunteers Drs. Brianna Fredrich, Brigitte Mason, and Jenna Scott. Dr. Amanda Reever’s presentation, “’AnOtter’ app for notes on the go,” received the top prize, followed by Dr. Robyn Fleck’s “Blood collection from sows without a snare” and Dr. Aaron Slater’s “Epidurals and anesthesia: Don’t fear, I’ll make it clear.”
During the Monday general session, speakers described the role of the pig’s champion and challenged attendees to BE that champion.
Dr. Clayton Johnson, partner and veterinarian at Carthage Veterinary Service, Ltd., opened the Monday general session with the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture. His presentation, “The challenges and opportunities of becoming the pig’s champion,” opened with laughter from the audience and ended with a strong sense of pride emanating from every veterinarian in attendance. Johnson pointed out that veterinarians are called upon and show up when farmers face difficult situations. He concluded, “We show up, we’ve earned the right, and I’m proud to be a champion of the pig!”
Dr. Cara Haden, director of animal welfare at Pipestone Veterinary Services, presented the Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture titled “Who gets to be the pig’s champion?” She connected with Dr. Hogg’s commitment to people and focused on both the veterinarian and the consumer. She asked the audience, “Who are the future veterinarians, and are we ready to welcome them? Who gets to influence what it means to champion the pigs?” She challenged attendees to recognize, adapt, and stand in the gap between consumer wants and best practices for the health and welfare of the pig. “Change is coming. Are we ready as an industry to adapt to welcome this drastically different veterinarian?”
Honored guest Jerry Baysinger, husband of the late Dr. Angela Baysinger, introduced Dr. Anna Johnson, professor and Artz Chair for Faculty Excellence in Animal Science at Iowa State University, to deliver the inaugural Angela Baysinger Memorial Lecture, “Advancing pig welfare together: Standing on the shoulders of Angela.” The room was filled with pink apparel and accessories to honor Angela’s legacy and the tremendous impact she made in animal welfare and the AASV.
The Monday afternoon concurrent sessions challenged veterinarians to think critically about PEDV elimination, foreign animal diseases and other global hot topics, and what individual pig care looks like to the swine veterinarian. The Tuesday general session offered insights into influenza prevention and management.
While continuing education is incredibly important to attending veterinarians, some of the most valuable takeaways from each annual meeting might be the personal and professional connections made outside of each session. In addition to the scientific sessions, avant-garde ideas and generous sponsorships allow the AASV to host professional and student social networking events, personal and professional development opportunities, self-care experiences, and receptions to celebrate and recognize student, college, and mentor accomplishments.
Fourteen AASV committees met during the Annual Meeting to discuss important issues in swine health, public health, pig welfare, and membership services. Several universities hosted receptions for their collegiate alumni. Students met and mingled with peers and veterinarians during multiple student social events. Early morning risers also joined together for breakfast, music, and fellowship at the annual praise breakfast. Ambitious attendees rose early again Monday morning for a special session, “Beagles and Bagels,” which included a demonstration of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture detector canine officers.
The AASV Foundation cosponsored the Monday luncheon with the AASV. Recipients of AASV Foundation-funded programs, including veterinary student scholarships, Alex Hogg Memorial Scholarships, Zoetis Foundation and Dr. Conrad and Judy Schmidt Family Student Debt Relief Scholarships, and research grants were announced. The Foundation also honored its newest Heritage fellows, Drs. Mary Battrell, Camille Moore, and Shamus Brown; and new Leman fellows, Drs. Jerry Torrison, Heather Kittrell, and Amanda Sponheim. The Dr. Max Rodibaugh Practice Tips seminar winners were announced.
The AASV Awards Reception was held Monday night, followed by the AASV Foundation’s annual fund-raising auction. Dr. Mary Battrell, 2021 AASV president and 2025 AASV Awards Selection Committee chair, introduced the recipients of the Swine Practitioner of the Year Award (Dr. Brian Myers), the Howard Dunne Memorial Award (Dr. John Waddell), the Meritorious Service Award (Dr. Terri O’Sullivan), the Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year Award (Dr. Pat Halbur), the Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year Award (Dr. Amanda Sponheim), and the Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year Award (Dr. Brandi Burton). Read more about the awardees at https://www.aasv.org/awards/.