As part of its mission to fund research with direct application to the profession, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation awarded $100,000 in funding for research. Dr Ross Kiehne, chair of the AASV Foundation, announced the selection of 4 research proposals for funding during the AASV and AASV Foundation cosponsored luncheon on March 6 held during the AASV Annual Meeting in Aurora, Colorado. The foundation granted funds to support efforts by principal researchers, from the University of Minnesota and Iowa State University.

University of Minnesota researcher Dr Kimberly VanderWaal and coinvestigators were awarded $29,997 to fund the proposal titled “Fine-scale classification of PRRSV-2: Moving past RFLPs to improve sequence interpretation for disease control and management.” The 2 objectives of the study are to evaluate and compare potential alternative systems for classifying and naming porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus-2 (PRRSV-2) variants and to develop procedures for prospective implementation and expansion that would meet the needs of diagnostic laboratories and practitioners.

The foundation granted $22,440 to Dr Daniel Linhares and coinvestigators from Iowa State University to fund the proposal titled “Probability of Influenza A virus RNA detection at different pooling levels for commonly used sample types in breeding herds.” The objective of the project is to compare the probability of influenza A virus RNA detection at different levels of pooling for different sample types.

Dr Linhares and coinvestigators also received $24,855 to fund the proposal titled “Comparison of a novel rapid tonsil sampling method to serum, oral fluid, and tonsil scraping to detect PRRSV in sows.” The objective of this study is to compare the new tonsil-oral sample type with serum, oral fluids, and tonsil scraping in terms of probability of PRRSV detection and cycle threshold values with sows at different time points post whole-herd exposure.

The foundation partially funded Dr Linhares’ proposal, “Assessing the performance of tongue tips as an additional tool to monitor PRRSV in breeding herds undergoing virus elimination,” at $22,708. The objective is to determine the dynamic of PRRSV-RNA detection in tongue tips in breeding herds undergoing PRRSV elimination.

Investigators will share results at various swine meetings and in peer-reviewed publications.

Dr Brett O’Brien chaired the scientific subcommittee responsible for reviewing and scoring the 17 proposals received for consideration, and she joins the AASV Foundation in thanking Drs Rebecca Robbins, Christine Mainquist-Whigham, Wesley Lyons, Eva Jablonski, Megan Potter, Emily Mahan-Riggs, and Todd Williams for their participation on this important subcommittee.

An overview of past and current projects funded by the AASV Foundation is available at aasv.org/foundation/research.htm. The foundation will issue its next call for research proposals in fall 2023.

AASV Foundation announces recipients of Hogg Scholarship

Drs Claire LeFevre and Emily Mahan-Riggs were named the 2023 recipients of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation Hogg Scholarship during the American Association of Swine Veterinarians 54^th Annual Meeting in Aurora, Colorado on March 6.

Established in 2008, the scholarship is named for Dr Alex Hogg who was a leader in swine medicine and pursued a master’s degree in veterinary pathology after 20 years in a mixed-animal practice. The scholarship is awarded annually to an AASV member who has been accepted into a qualified graduate program to further their education after years as a swine practitioner. Former Hogg Scholarship recipients Drs Angela Baysinger, Kate Dion, and Jessica Seate reviewed the 2023 applications.

Since receiving her DVM in 2017 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr LeFevre has worked as a swine production and herd health veterinarian for Carthage Veterinary Services, Ltd. She is currently pursuing a master of veterinary science (MVS) at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Her desire to apply to graduate school was deeply rooted in further developing her capabilities as a veterinarian to better serve the direct needs of her clients and farm teams. Dr LeFevre serves as cochair of the AASV Early Career Committee. She is a participant and program planning subcommittee member of the inaugural AASV Participant-Led, Early-Career Swine Veterinarian Development Program.

Dr Mahan-Riggs earned her DVM from North Carolina State University (NCSU). She is currently a production veterinarian for Smithfield Hog Production and an adjunct professor at the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine. A current student in the MVS program at the University of Illinois, she views the program as a continuation of her lifelong commitment to learning. She foresees the knowledge gained through the program as an opportunity to enhance the quality of veterinary services she provides and better training to students she encounters. Dr Mahan-Riggs has been a member of the AASV Student Engagement, Collegiate Activities, Early Career, Foundation Auction, and Foundation Research Committees. As a student, she served on the AASV Board of Directors as a nonvoting student delegate member.

Three AASV members receive Dr Conrad and Judy Schmidt Family Student Debt Relief Endowment Scholarship

Three $5000 scholarships were awarded to early-career swine practitioners through the Dr Conrad and Judy Schmidt Family Student Debt Relief Endowment. Recipients Drs Katie Beckman, Alyssa Betlach, and Daniel Brown were announced March 6 during the American Association of Swine Veterinarians 54^th Annual Meeting in Aurora, Colorado.

The purpose of the $5000 scholarship is to help relieve the student debt of recent veterinary graduates engaged in swine practice who still have significant debt burden. Qualified applicants must have been engaged in private practice with at least 50% of their time devoted to swine, providing on-farm service directly to independent pork producers. All 3 recipients have been continuous members of the AASV since joining as students, and each attended the Annual Meeting during their veterinary education.

Dr Beckman, a 2019 Purdue University DVM graduate, is a swine veterinarian at AMVC Management Services in Audubon, Iowa. She provides veterinary services to sow farms and wean-to-finish sites in Iowa, and she teaches Swine Medicine Education Center students through AMVC. She enjoys spending time on farm and building strong relationships with dedicated and passionate growers eager to improve herd health. She cites mentorship from AASV colleagues as an essential building block to a strong foundation as a swine veterinarian, and she hopes to support new graduates in the future.

Dr Betlach is a 2018 DVM and 2021 PhD graduate of the University of Minnesota. She is an associate swine veterinarian and researcher at the Swine Vet Center where she works with producers in the midwestern United States to optimize herd health, biosecurity, and production. She also conducts and oversees applied research related to disease control and elimination, production, and nutrition to provide science-driven advancements to Swine Vet Center clientele. Dr Betlach was inspired to pursue swine medicine after attending the AASV Annual Meeting as an undergraduate research presenter.

Dr Brown, a DVM graduate of the University of Illinois, has been a veterinary consultant at Four Star Veterinary Service since graduation in 2020. He provides veterinary services to all types of producers across 7 states. He views AASV as a great educational resource that has been indispensable to his career, providing internships and externships to early career development programs.

The AASV Foundation thanks Drs Ross Kiehne, Jeff Harker, Pete Thomas, and Jason Kelly for reviewing the applications.

The scholarship was initiated with a generous $110,000 contribution to the foundation by the Conrad Schmidt and Family Endowment. Dr Schmidt, a charter member of AASV, explained, “Together, Judy and I noticed that many new DVM graduates interested in swine medicine begin their professional life with heavy educational debt obligations. As a long-time AASV member and animal industry supporter, it was our desire to help AASV members who have dedicated their professional skills to swine herd health and production. We hope that this endowment will grow over time to assist in reducing the educational debt load of AASV members as they begin their professional journeys.”

Merck Animal Health supports future swine practitioners through AASV Foundation partnership

Merck Animal Health continued its commitment to the swine industry’s next generation of veterinarians by partnering with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation (AASVF) to sponsor the 2023 recipients of the AASVF/Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarships.

Scholarships totaling $50,000 were awarded to 10 veterinary students for 2023. The recipients were announced at the 54^th AASV Annual Meeting, held in Aurora, Colorado on March 6.

• The following 10 students were each awarded a $5000 scholarship:
• Don Banks, North Carolina State University, Class of 2024
• Alexis Berte, Iowa State University, Class of 2025
• Antonia DeGroot, Ontario Veterinary College, Class of 2025
• Hope Dohlman, Iowa State University, Class of 2025
• Hunter Everett, North Carolina State University, Class of 2024
• Ellen Gibbs, University of Missouri, Class of 2025
• Jack Korenyi-Both, The Ohio State University, Class of 2024
• Conrad Schelkopf, Kansas State University, Class of 2024
• Adam Tatnall, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Class of 2025
• Dylan Wulfekuhle, Iowa State University, Class of 2025

Merck Animal Health is proud to honor these students who represent the next generation of veterinary leaders for the swine industry,” said Justin Welsh, DVM, executive director of livestock technical services, Merck Animal Health. “Through our partnership with AASVF, these exemplary students embody Merck Animal Health’s mission to advance the science of healthier animals. We are excited to see what the future holds as they embark on their veterinary careers.”

The scholarship program assists the foundation’s mission to support the development and scholarship of students and veterinarians interested in the swine industry. Second- and third-year students enrolled in American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited or recognized colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean islands are eligible for the scholarship. The AASV Foundation thanks Drs Jason Kelly, Ross Kiehne, Pete Thomas, and Jeff Harker for judging this year’s applications. Learn more at aasv.org/foundation.

Oklahoma State University veterinary student receives David A. Schoneweis Scholarship at AASV Annual Meeting

Braden Steidley, a third-year student at Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, was awarded the David A. Schoneweis Scholarship during the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Annual Meeting held in Aurora, Colorado.

The children of the late Dr David Schoneweis established a scholarship in his memory to benefit swine-interested students from Kansas State University (KSU) and Oklahoma State University (OSU). The $1000 scholarship is awarded to a student or students from KSU or OSU who participate in the student oral or poster presentations during the AASV Annual Meeting, based upon a selection rubric prepared with the oversight and approval of the Schoneweis family.

Steidley presented his research, “A field study examining the effects of a novel maternal pheromone on performance and livability of weaned pigs,” during the AASV Student Poster Session. He was one of 20 students presenting a poster.

Dr Schoneweis was born in Clay Center, Kansas and earned his DVM from Kansas State University in 1956. He served 2 years in the Army Veterinary Corps before teaching clinical sciences at Oklahoma State University for 6 years. After 2 years in private practice in Lawrence, Kansas, he joined the KSU College of Veterinary Medicine faculty in 1966, where he received his master’s degree in surgery and medicine in 1971 and taught food animal medicine for 30 years. Dr Schoneweis was a charter member of the American Association of Swine Practitioners (AASP) and served on the association’s board of directors in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1997, he received the AASP Meritorious Service Award for his lifetime of support for the association and in recognition of his work with students as a professor of food animal medicine at KSU and OSU.

Thankful for the scholarship, Steidley said, “It is an honor to be considered and chosen for the David A. Schoneweis Scholarship. I am thankful for the family of Dr Schoneweis and their generosity in providing this award that supports my career path in this industry.”

AASV Foundation Legacy Fund named

The American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation is committed to fund research, scholarships, externships, tuition grants, and other programs and activities that benefit the profession of swine veterinary medicine. The foundation relies on the generous support of donors to fulfill this commitment.

During the recent AASV and AASV Foundation Luncheon held March 6, 2023 at the AASV’s 54^th Annual Meeting, AASV Foundation Chair Dr Ross Kiehne announced a new Legacy fund established in the name of Dr Max and Carol Rodibaugh. The contribution was made to honor Dr Rodibaugh’s long-time involvement and commitment to the AASV Foundation and its mission.

Support the Foundation – It’s the Wright thing to do!

Dr KT Wright passed away September 29, 2022. Friends, family, and colleagues remember his legacy as a staunch and active supporter of the AASV Foundation. KT was a tremendous believer in the mission of the foundation and the obligation of all AASV members to use the foundation as a mechanism to give back to the profession and support the next generation of swine veterinarians.

To raise awareness of the foundation’s programs among the AASV membership, a pledge program in memory of KT was launched during the AASV Annual Meeting. KT was well known for his ability to convince others to support the foundation. In fact, he is still urging members to give back. Watch “The Pitch,” featuring Drs KT Wright and Conrad Schmidt, created by Dr Sarah Probst Miller and AgCreate Solutions, at aasv.org/foundation/thepitch.

Consider supporting the AASV Foundation. It’s the Wright thing to do!

Leman

Named for the late industry leader and former AASV president Dr Allen D. Leman, this giving program confers the title of Leman Fellow upon those who contribute $1000 or more to the foundation endowment.

Heritage

The Heritage Fellow program recognizes contributions of $5000 or more. In addition to monetary donations, other giving options such as life insurance policies, estate bequests, and retirement plan assets may be used.

Legacy

A donor, multiple donors, or a veterinary practice may establish and name a Legacy Fund with a gift of $50,000 or more. The fund may be named after the donor or another individual or group. The donor designates which of three foundation mission categories the fund’s proceeds will support: 1) research, 2) education, or 3) long-range issues.

If you are ready to lend your support and help build the endowment to ensure future support of the swine veterinary profession, visit aasv.org/foundation or contact the foundation by phone, 515-465-5255, or email, foundation@aasv.org.

Save the date! AASV Foundation Golf Outing

August 23, 2023

Veenker Memorial Golf Course, Ames, Iowa

Registration opens in July

Lively auction honors past leaders, raises funds for the future

Thanks to record-setting cash contributions – many made in memory of longtime foundation leader and donor Dr KT Wright – and spirited bidding in the live and silent auctions, the AASV Foundation’s 2023 fundraiser achieved its second-highest total ever, and the most in the past ten years: $129,140! The funds raised by the auction support scholarships, research grants, travel stipends, externship grants, student debt relief, and more. The annual fundraiser was held in conjunction with the AASV Annual Meeting in Aurora, Colorado.

Electronic bidding for silent auction items opened on ClickBid in February and continued during the meeting until the evening of Monday, March 6. A leaderboard near the AASV registration desk kept attendees apprised of the current winning bidder for each item. In the end, the 62 donated items generated $13,890 in winning bids. As donors have done in previous years, they shipped their items directly to the winning bidders after the auction.

For the twelfth consecutive year, AASV member Dr Shamus Brown generously contributed his auction-calling skills to the live auction, which featured a hybrid electric bicycle, vacation opportunities, firearms, hunting and fishing trips, sporting events, diagnostic lab training, and more.

The five “tailgate paloozas” offered in the live auction proved popular again this year. The football tickets and tailgate parties hosted at schools across the country (Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, and North Carolina State) generated $20,000 in total proceeds. Bidding was fast and furious to secure the school of choice, and the top palooza bid of $5250 was made for the North Carolina State Wolfpack.

The live auction concluded with the sale of an original ink and watercolor painting by Carol Rodibaugh titled “Witness Love.” The painting was created in memory of her husband, former AASV President Dr Max Rodibaugh, and featured an inspirational quote that held meaning for Max and his family as he battled the glioblastoma that ultimately claimed his life.

Bidding for the painting took off like a shot and bids flew rapid-fire across the room from one bidder to another and back again as several individuals and groups vied for the painting. When the winning bid was finally called at $10,400, the entire assembly rose in a standing ovation. It was only after the clapping subsided and everyone was seated again that the buyer was revealed to be Andrew Kleis of Insight Wealth Group.

The live auction items raised $58,450, slightly more than the $56,800 in generous monetary contributions, bringing the grand total (including $13,890 from the silent auction) to $129,140. For the complete list of donors and auction items, including the winning bids and bidders, see aasv.org/foundation/2023/auctionlist.php.

Dr Brown was assisted in the auction by Wes Johnson, who served as auction clerk, and ring men Drs Jordan Graham, Levi Johnson, Andy Kryzer, Chase Stahl, John Van Blarcom, and John Waddell. The 2023 Auction Committee was led by cochairs Drs Chase Stahl, John Waddell, and Butch Baker.

And the winners are…

Thank you to ALL who made a contribution, donated an item, or placed a bid on items in the auction.

Thanks to your generosity, the auction raised $129,140 for the AASV Foundation!