AASV news – May 2008

The American Association of Swine Veterinarians announces an opportunity for up to 15 veterinary students to make scientific presentations during the student seminar at the AASV Annual Meeting on Sunday, March 8, 2009, in Dallas, Texas. Interested students are invited to submit a one-page abstract of a research paper, clinical case study, or literature review for consideration. Abstracts and supplementary materials must be received by Dr Alex Ramirez (alex@aasv.org) by midnight on Friday, September 26, 2008 (firm deadline). All material must be submitted electronically. Late abstracts will not be considered. The abstracts will be reviewed by an unbiased professional panel consisting of a private practitioner, an academician at a school from which no students have submitted an abstract, and an industry veterinarian. Students whose papers are selected for presentation at the meeting will be notified by October 15, 2008, and will be expected to provide the complete paper or abstract for publication by November 17, 2008.

To help defray the costs of attending the AASV meeting, Alpharma Animal Health provides a $750 honorarium to the student presenter of each paper selected for the seminar.

Veterinary students whose papers are selected for presentation at the meeting will be eligible to compete for several veterinary student scholarships awarded through the AASV Foundation. The oral presentations will be judged to determine the amount of the scholarship awarded.

Alpharma Animal Health funds a $5000 scholarship for the student whose paper, oral presentation, and supporting information are judged best overall.

The Eli Lilly & Company Foundation, on behalf of Elanco Animal Health, has provided $20,000 in additional funding, enabling the AASV Foundation to provide awards of $2500 each for 2nd through 5th place, $1500 each for 6th through 10th place, and $500 each for 11th through 15th place.

Students whose papers are not selected for oral presentation in the student seminar will be eligible to be considered for participation in a poster session at the annual meeting. Up to fifteen (15) posters will be selected through a competitive process. Alpharma funds a stipend of $250 for each student who is selected and participates in the poster presentation.

Complete information for preparing and submitting abstracts is available on the AASV Web site (https://www.aasv.org/annmtg/2009/studentseminar.htm). Please note: the rules for submission should be followed carefully. For more information, contact the AASV office (Tel: 515-465-5255; Fax: 515-465-3832; E-mail: aasv@aasv.org).

AASV concerned about research funding

The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) is concerned that the level of federal funding for basic and applied research for swine diseases is inadequate to address the needs of the swine industry. Federal support for long-term research projects to address foreign, emerging, and re-emerging diseases is vitally important to protect the industry and promote domestic and international markets.

Over the last few years, the budgets associated with programs at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Agriculture Research Service, and the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service have all either declined or been held basically flat at existing levels. This has frequently necessitated a reduction in the capability to conduct needed research, the loss of scientific resources, or the inability to adequately fund research facilities. The leadership of the AASV recognizes this trend as potentially devastating for the future ability of the government and the industry to respond to disease and production challenges. Addressing this disturbing trend should be a major focus of the association and the swine industry.

In an effort to focus attention on this long-term issue, the AASV Board of Directors adopted the following position statement during its spring meeting on March 11, 2008:

The AASV encourages the USDA and Congress to reevaluate the allocation of funding for research issues to address swine diseases and to adequately fund research programs and facilities. The association will work with the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council to obtain an accounting of current federal research budgets and determine industry needs relative to swine disease research.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc, presents PRRS awards

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc, presented the 2008 Advancement in PRRS Research Awards totaling $75,000 to three veterinary researchers during the AASV Annual Meeting in San Diego.

The award winners were selected by an independent review committee consisting of veterinary practitioners and researchers. The committee selected the three winning projects on the basis of established criteria that include potential for economic impact to the swine industry, originality and scientific quality, and probability of success in completing the study. Each recipient received $25,000.

The 2008 award winners and their study titles include:

Jim Lowe, DVM, Carthage Veterinary Service, Carthage, Illinois – Reduction in economic losses due to lateral infection with PRRS virus in growing pigs in swine-dense areas through infection with attenuated PRRS virus at placement.

Paul Yeske, DVM, Swine Vet Center, St Peter, Minnesota – Does finishing barn ventilation type (curtain sided vs tunnel) result in a greater risk factor for naïve herds to break with PRRS virus in the finishing phase?

Scott Dee, DVM, PhD, University of Minnesota, St Paul, Minnesota – An evaluation of PRRS virus aerosol biosecurity programs for warm weather.

Following acceptance for publication of the research findings, the review committee will re-evaluate the completed projects and award the first place recipient an additional $5,000; second place, $3,000; and third place, $1,000 (currency in $US).

Study proposals for the 2009 Advancement in PRRS Research Award will be accepted until January 1, 2009. More information is available online at http://www.prrsresearch.com.

AASV 2008-2009 officers (from left):
Dr Paul Ruen, vice president;
Dr Butch Baker, president-elect;
Dr Kerry Keffaber, president; and
Dr Daryl Olsen, past president.

AASV 2008-2009 officers

Dr Kerry Keffaber, North Manchester, Indiana, was installed as the president of the AASV at the association’s annual meeting in San Diego, California. He succeeds Dr Daryl Olsen, Audubon, Iowa, who is now immediate past president. Dr Butch Baker, Ames, Iowa, has ascended to president-elect. The newly elected vice president is Dr Paul Ruen, Fairmont, Minnesota.

Dr Kerry Keffaber (PUR ‘81) is a swine technical services consultant at Elanco Animal Health. Prior to joining Elanco Animal Health, Dr Keffaber was a swine practitioner in Indiana for 21 years. Active in the AASV since 1981, Dr Keffaber served as a district director for two terms, a past chair of the PRRS subcommittee, and has served on several planning committees for the association’s annual program.

Dr Rodney “Butch” Baker (AUB ‘78) is a senior clinician in the Food Supply Veterinary Services Unit at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to joining the staff at Iowa State in 2006, he was a clinical associate professor at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr Baker’s career in veterinary medicine began as a mixed-animal practitioner in Kentucky. After 17 years in private practice, he spent a year in the animal health industry, 4 years with a pig breeding-stock company and 3 years as director of health assurance in a large integrated pork-production company.

Dr Paul Ruen (MN ‘92) is a practitioner at the Fairmont Veterinary Clinic in Fairmont, Minnesota, a predominately swine practice that also provides management services to clients. Active in the AASV since 1988, Dr Ruen was a district director on the AASV Board of Directors from 2005 to 2008. During the 2002 International Pig Veterinary Society meeting in Ames, Iowa, Dr Ruen served on the Production and Management Scientific Committee. He is a frequent speaker and lecturer at the AASV annual meetings and the Leman Conference in Minnesota. Dr Ruen grew up in southeastern Minnesota on a diversified pig, cow-calf, and grain farm.