The AASV Foundation is pleased to announce that the National Pork Industry Foundation is providing $3300 each for six US veterinary students per year for 3 years to participate in 1-month mentorships with swine practitioners in the United States. The target applicants include students with an interest but little to no experience in swine medicine. The goal of the program is to attract additional veterinary students into swine medicine and to provide interested students with some exposure to the life of a swine veterinarian. The AASV Student Recruitment Committee (AASV-SRC) developed a program for these stipends that will place a first- or second-year veterinary student with a practitioner mentor for 1 year. During the summer, the student is required to spend 1 month under the practitioner’s guidance in the field. The stipend is meant to defer costs of travel, lodging, and compensation for the 1-month period. In addition, the students are encouraged to attend both the AASV Annual Meeting and the Leman Conference.
The AASV-SRC is seeking six US swine practitioners to be mentors for these students. Commitments include answering one student’s questions regarding the industry throughout the year and hosting the student for a minimum of 1 month in the summer.
If you are interested in being a practitioner mentor, please contact Brian Payne at payne@hogvet.com.
Nominate outstanding colleagues for AASV awards!
Do you know an AASV member whose dedication to the association and the swine industry is worthy of recognition? The AASV Awards Committee requests nominations for the following five awards to be presented at the upcoming AASV annual meeting in Dallas.
Howard Dunne Memorial Award – Given annually to an AASV member who has made a significant contribution and rendered outstanding service to the AASV and the swine industry.
Meritorious Service Award – Given annually to an individual who has consistently given time and effort to the association in the area of service to the AASV members, AASV officers, and the AASV staff.
Swine Practitioner of the Year – Given annually to the swine practitioner (AASV member) who has demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency in the delivery of veterinary service to his or her clients.
Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year – Given annually to the technical services or allied industry veterinarian who has demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of veterinary service to his or her company and its clients, as well as given tirelessly in service to the AASV and the swine industry.
Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year – Given annually to a swine veterinarian who is an AASV member, 5 years or less post graduation, who has demonstrated the ideals of exemplary service and proficiency early in his or her career.
Nominations are due December 15. The nomination letter should specify the award and cite the qualifications of the candidate for the award. Submit to: AASV, 902 1st Avenue, Perry, IA 50220; Fax: 515-465-3832; E-mail: aasv@aasv.org.
APHIS issues interpretation on 30-day health rule
Dr John Clifford, Deputy Administrator, Veterinary Services, has issued a Veterinary Services Notice (VSN) clarifying the regulations governing the issuance of Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) covering weaned pigs born into herds participating in a routine herd health program.
The VSN confirms that veterinarians can issue a CVI to ship pigs born since the previous 30-day herd health visit (following the third such visit as part of a routine herd health program) without having to inspect the individual animals. The notice cautions, however, that the CVI must accurately reflect the actions that the veterinarian actually undertook. For example, the CVI must state that the herd, rather than the individual animals, was inspected within 30 days prior to the issuance of the CVI.
This should clarify a point that the AASV has been working diligently to resolve since an issue arose early last year involving the shipment of weaned pigs under a CVI that indicated the pigs had been inspected when, in fact, the veterinarian had actually inspected the herd prior to the pigs being born. While in compliance with the regulation allowing for the issuance of a CVI to ship pigs under the 30-day health rule, the veterinarian had signed an inaccurate statement on the CVI. The AASV is continuing to work with state animal health officials, through the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials, to obtain approval for a standardized statement that can be inserted into the CVI by the accredited veterinarian, accurately reflecting the animals actually inspected. This issue was considered by the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials during the US Animal Health Association’s annual meeting in October.
The content of the VSN can be reviewed on the AASV website.