As part of its mission to fund research with direct application to the profession, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation awarded more than $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 held on February 26 during the AASV Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. The foundation granted funds to support efforts by principal researchers from the University of Minnesota and Iowa State University.

University of Minnesota researcher Dr Cesar Corzo and coinvestigators, including graduate student Marcello Melini, were awarded $29,827 to fund the proposal “Advancing biocontainment strategies through advanced viability qPCR for PRRSV environmental contamination assessment.” The project will focus on understanding whether environmentally detected PRRSV in pig barns remains viable. In addition, investigators plan to assess whether frequently touched surfaces by personnel contain viable virus particles which can represent a risk for dissemination to other farms.

The foundation granted $22,442.50 to Dr Daniel Linhares and coinvestigators from Iowa State University to fund the proposal “Assessing the effect of pooling commonly used samples on the probability of influenza A virus sequencing and virus isolation.” The objective of the project is to compare the success of sequencing and virus isolation by using different cycle threshold levels from pooled sample types for influenza A virus in swine.

Dr Ana Paula Poeta Silva and coinvestigators from Iowa State University received $30,000 to fund the proposal “Improving extraction and PCR protocols to enhance Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MHP) DNA detection in oral fluid samples in field conditions.” The goal of this study is to compare the diagnostic performance of six MHP detection protocols for MHP DNA detection in field oral fluid samples.

The foundation partially funded a proposal submitted by Dr Giovani Trevisan and coinvestigators from Iowa State University titled “Further characterization of PRRSV diversity and other pathogens in live virus inoculation (LVI) material used in breeding herd stabilization programs,” at $18,000. The study aims to characterize the genetic diversity of PRRSV and the potential presence of other pathogens of interest in LVI samples used in swine production.

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 16 proposals received for consideration, and she joins the AASV Foundation in thanking Drs Eva Jablonski, Christine Mainquist-Whigham, Tom Petznick, Rebecca Robbins, 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. The foundation will issue its next call for research proposals in fall 2024.

Kansas State University veterinary student receives David A. Schoneweis Scholarship

Madeline Hall, a fourth-year student at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, was awarded the David A. Schoneweis Scholarship during the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Annual Meeting held in Nashville, Tennessee.

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.

Hall presented her research, “The impact of early life stress on neural plasticity in growing swine,” during the AASV Student Poster Session. She was one of 16 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.

Twelve AASV members receive debt relief grants

Twelve $7500 grants were awarded by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation on February 26 during the 55^th AASV Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.

New in 2024, the AASVF-Zoetis Foundation Student Debt Relief Grants, funded by the Zoetis Foundation, are awarded to swine veterinarians who are 2 to 10 years post graduation. The Dr Conrad and Judy Schmidt Family Student Debt Relief Scholarships, funded through the Conrad Schmidt and Family Endowment within the AASV Foundation, are awarded annually to swine veterinarians who are 2 to 5 years post graduation and engaged in private veterinary practice. The intent of both awards is to offset a portion of student loan debt and relieve some of the burden associated with the significant financial cost of completing a veterinary medical education.

AASVF-Zoetis Foundation Student Debt Relief Grants

• Justin Brown, University of Georgia, 2016
• Emily Fry, The Ohio State University, 2015
• Kayla Henness, University of Illinois, 2019
• Megan Kelly, University of Illinois, 2020
• Erin Kettelkamp, University of Illinois, 2021
• Evan Koep, Iowa State University, 2019
• Miranda Medrano, Virginia-Maryland, 2020
• Kathleen O’Brien, University of Illinois, 2019
• Rachel Stika-Jensen, Iowa State University, 2021
• Katie Woodard, St. George’s University, 2014

Dr Conrad and Judy Schmidt Family Student Debt Relief Scholarships

• Lauren Nagel, University of Illinois, 2021
• Andrea Patterson, Ontario Veterinary College, 2020

All 12 recipients have been continuous members of the AASV since joining as students.

The AASV Foundation thanks Drs Ross Kiehne, Mike Pierdon, and Cary Sexton for reviewing the 23 applications.

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 2024 recipients of the AASVF/Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarships.

Scholarships totaling $50,000 were awarded to 10 veterinary students for 2024. The recipients were announced on February 26 during the AASV Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.

The following students were each awarded a $5,000 scholarship:

• Kristen Cleaver, Iowa State University, Class of 2026
• Cassidy Cordon, University of Minnesota, Class of 2026
• Juan Hernández Cuevas, The Ohio State University, Class of 2025
• Megan Neveau Thomas, Iowa State University, Class of 2025
• Samantha Nixon, University of Saskatchewan, Class of 2026
• Elizabeth Ohl, The Ohio State University, Class of 2026
• Kendall Sattler, Purdue University, Class of 2026
• Adam Steffensmeier, Iowa State University, Class of 2025
• Matilyn Wheeler, Iowa State University, Class of 2026
• Mallory Wilhelm, Iowa State University, Class of 2026

“Merck Animal Health is committed to the veterinary profession and is proud to honor these students who represent the next generation of veterinary leaders for the swine industry,” said Dr Justin Welsh, executive director of livestock technical services, Merck Animal Health. “Through our partnership with AASV, we are helping to build students’ knowledge of swine health and well-being as they prepare for a career in this important field.”

“The AASV and the AASV Foundation appreciate Merck Animal Health’s long-standing support for the AASVF-Merck Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. Their generous donation enables the AASV Foundation to assist future swine veterinarians with their educational expenses,” said Dr Harry Snelson, AASV executive director. “This support has become increasingly important as educational expenses for veterinary students continue to rise.”

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 Justin Brown, Josh Ellingson, Jeff Feder, and Ross Kiehne for judging this year’s applications. Learn more at aasv.org/foundation.

AASV Foundation announces recipients of Hogg Scholarship

Drs Ashley Johnson and Jana Morgan were named the 2024 recipients of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation Hogg Scholarship during the 55^th AASV Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee on February 26.

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 Kate Dion, Jessica Seate, and Amanda Sponheim reviewed the 2024 applications.

Dr Ashley Johnson received her DVM in 2013 from Virginia-Maryland and is now pursuing an MS in food safety at Michigan State University. She is the director of food policy at the National Pork Producers Council in Washington, D.C. Her work focuses on developing and implementing post-harvest food safety and human nutrition programs and addressing animal care issues in market channels. She underscores the value of furthering her education through this program to enhance her ability to defend science for food safety policies.

Dr Jana Morgan earned her DVM from Iowa State University in 2006 and is a current student in the Master of Veterinary Science program at the University of Illinois. She is a key account veterinarian – swine division at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and provides technical and product support for her customers in the Midwest. She also provides support through the Swine Veterinary Internship Program (SVIP) and DVM Swine Academy Programs. She expects this advanced degree to add value to her career, especially in health, research and development, production management, and field trials.

Ya’ll came to bid! AASV Foundation auction raises $101,000

The foundation’s annual auction fundraiser was held March 26 in the beautiful Gaylord Opryland Resort during the 55^th AASV Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. The event was coordinated by the 2024 Auction Committee, led by co-chairs Drs Chase Stahl, John Waddell, and Butch Baker.

Electronic bidding for silent auction items opened on ClickBid in February and continued during the meeting until the evening of Monday, February 26. A leaderboard kept attendees apprised of the current winning bidder for each item. In the end, the 48 silent auction items generated $8570 in winning bids. As in previous years, donors ship the items directly to the winning bidders.

A new auctioneer, Kent Andersen, brought his enthusiasm and skills to the live auction, which offered fishing trips, vacation opportunities, customized cutting boards, sporting events, diagnostic lab training, a home security system, and even a commissioned pig sculpture. Mr. Andersen was assisted on the podium by Dr Chase Stahl, while ring men Drs Wesley Lyons, John Waddell, Justin Cagle, and Chris Deegan worked the crowd to capture and call out bids.

The auction bidding took off like a shot with the first item, a Benelli 20-gauge shotgun, which sold for $3500. The top-selling item was the luxury glamping package, which brought $4000.

The five tailgate paloozas were a hit again this year. The football tickets and tailgate parties hosted at schools across the country (North Carolina State University, University of Illinois, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, and University of Minnesota) generated $11,000 in total proceeds.

When it was “all-in, all-done,” the live auction items raised $38,500! Added to the silent auction proceeds and an additional $53,930 in monetary contributions, the event generated a grand total of $101,000 to support scholarships, research grants, travel stipends, externship grants, student debt relief grants, and more.

For a complete recap of the auction, including the items, donors, winning bids, and bidders, see aasv.org/foundation/2024/auctionlist.php.

First AASV Foundation ABVP scholarship awarded

In 2023, the AASV Foundation Board of Directors established the Swine Health Management Scholarship Program to annually support one AASV member interested in pursuing certification through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). As part of its mission to support the development and scholarship of students and veterinarians, the goal of this program is to relieve some of the financial burden associated with achieving board certification.

The first recipient of the scholarship, Dr Jessica Seate, was announced during the AASV and AASV Foundation Luncheon held February 26, 2024, at the 55th AASV Annual Meeting.

The scholarship provides reimbursement for Swine Health Management certification-related expenses incurred within the first 3 years following the scholarship award date. The maximum amount of reimbursement will be $10,000. An additional incentive payment of $10,000 will be paid upon successful and timely achievement of ABVP certification in Swine Health Management.

Learn more about the scholarship at aasv.org/foundation/abvp-scholarship.

AASV Foundation Heritage Fellows recognized

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 February 26, 2024, at the 55th AASV Annual Meeting, AASV Foundation Chair Dr Ross Kiehne announced Dr Hans and Darci Koehnk as new Heritage fellows.

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 3 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.