The AASV held its 44th annual meeting in San Diego, California, March 2–5, 2013. The meeting, held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, drew a record 1034 total attendees, including 619 paid registrants (also a record) and 124 veterinary students. The participants represented 29 countries including the United States. Total attendance included 225 allied industry representatives manning a record 80 technical tables. The students in attendance represented 22 veterinary schools!
The theme of this year’s meeting was “Purpose-inspired practice.” The participants were presented with numerous educational sessions, including nine pre-conference workshops, two general sessions, three break-out sessions, research topics, industrial partner sessions, 15 Student Seminar presentations, and 98 posters. In addition, the weather was perfect for the first ever AASV 5k Fun Run/Walk! Joel Sparks led the pack of 77 participants with a time of 19:43 minutes. The best female time was clocked by Robin Schroeder at 21:57 minutes. Pretty impressive for early on a Sunday morning!
Dr Craig Rowles opened the Monday General Session with the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture. His presentation, entitled “Perspective, passion, and the purpose-inspired practice,” challenged the attendees to examine what they are most passionate about and to consider the future role of the veterinarian in the ever-changing world of animal agriculture. He challenged us all to “live a life of purpose.” Dr John Waddell followed up with the Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture entitled “Mentoring with purpose.” He acknowledged the value of mentors in our profession and recognized that we are all mentors. Not only do we learn from our colleagues, but the animals we care for also have a lot to teach us. Dr Waddell challenged all of us to “make mentoring our purpose and do it with passion!”
The second half of the Monday morning session included presentations on PRRS, swine influenza, and infectious disease. All of the General Session presentations on Monday and Tuesday were video recorded and will be posted in the video library of the AASV Web site in the near future.
In addition, 15 AASV committees met during the annual meeting, and the Board of Directors convened at the close of the meeting on Tuesday afternoon, recognizing the new slate of officers: Drs Matt Anderson, President; Michelle Sprague, President-elect; Ron Brodersen, Vice President, and Tara Donovan, Past President. The board also welcomed incoming District 6 representative Dr Alex Ramirez. The 2014 annual meeting will be held March 1-4 in Dallas, Texas.
Swine Practitioner of the Year award
Dr Barry Kerkaert was named 2013 Swine Practitioner of the Year. The award is given to the swine practitioner who has demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of veterinary service to clients.
Dr Kerkaert is a native of southwestern Minnesota. He obtained his doctor of veterinary medicine degree from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1994. Following graduation, he joined the Pipestone Veterinary Clinic in Pipestone, Minnesota. He has since become one of the managing partners in the veterinary practice. The Pipestone Veterinary Clinic comprises 18 veterinarians and has locations in Pipestone, Minnesota, and Independence, Iowa. The Pipestone Veterinary Clinic is responsible for management of the Pipestone System, which is a 145,000-sow production system owned by independent farmers located in five states.
Dr Kerkaert has lectured, visited, or consulted on swine farms in countries worldwide. He is the organizer and co-founder of System Grow-Finish Management LLC, a swine grow-finish production management company that currently manages 300,000 growing pigs. He has been a member of the AASV since 1994 and has served on the planning committee for annual meetings in 2001, 2004, and 2008. He has also served as a reviewer of submitted scientific articles for the Journal of Swine Health and Production in 2000, 2001, and 2006.
Asked to comment about receiving this award, Dr Kerkaert replied, “Receiving this award was truly a humbling experience for me. I sincerely believe that we are the result of the persons who have been involved in our lives. I have been blessed to have been surrounded by family, friends, and clients that have set good examples and pushed me for my entire life. To them I say ‘thank you.’”
Dr Kerkaert and his wife, Karen, currently reside in Pipestone, Minnesota. They have three children, Hayden, Jenna, and Aubrey.
Howard Dunne Memorial Award
Dr Jeff Zimmerman received the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ 2013 Howard Dunne Memorial Award. The award recognizes an AASV member who has made important contributions and provided outstanding service to the association and the swine industry.
Dr Zimmerman received his DVM (1984), MS in veterinary preventive medicine (1986), and PhD in veterinary microbiology (1990) from Iowa State University. He is currently Professor of Disease Ecology in the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
In addition to being a prolific researcher, Dr Zimmerman is dedicated to mentoring students. He has served on numerous professional, academic, and industry committees. He has been a member of AASV since 1990, serving on the PRRS Subcommittee, Annual Meeting Planning Committee, and Swine Health Committee, as well as chairing sessions at the AASV Annual Meeting. He is also active in the swine industry, participating on National Pork Board and National Pork Producer Council committees. Dr Zimmerman is presently serving his second term on the editorial board of the Journal of Swine Health and Production.
Dr Zimmerman has authored over 100 refereed publications in addition to numerous book chapters and monographs. In his letter of nomination, Dr John Prickett wrote, “Jeff’s most recent notable contribution was his huge effort as an editor and organizer of the 10th edition of Diseases of Swine. He has been dedicated to the quality of the book.”
Says Zimmerman, “The swine industry is loaded with very smart people dedicated to improving swine health – and it has been my good fortune and privilege to work with some of them!”
Dr Zimmerman lives with his wife, Dr Silvia M. Zimmerman, in Ames, Iowa. He has two sons, Isaac and Daniel, and two grandchildren, Adan and Chloe.
Meritorious Service Award
Dr Craig Rowles was named the 2013 recipient of the AASV Meritorious Service Award. The award recognizes individuals who have provided outstanding service to the AASV.
Dr Rowles received his DVM from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1982. He was in private practice with the Carroll Veterinary Clinic until 1996, when he left to become a partner and general manager at Elite Pork Partnership, an 8000-sow farrow-to-finish swine operation. He completed the Executive Veterinary Program at the University of Illinois in 2009. He is also the 2009 recipient of the Iowa State University Science with Practice Award.
Dr Rowles has been a member of AASV throughout his career. In his nomination letter, Dr John Waddell notes, “Craig has always been willing to step up to represent our association with groups such as AVMA, National Pork Board, and National Pork Producers Council. At the same time, he has always been willing to avail himself to aspiring veterinary students as well as to faculty and staff of Iowa State University to help promote our profession. Craig has also made himself and his farms available to the press, regulatory agencies, and foreign visitors to provide the true story of modern swine production in the United States.”
Dr Rowles was humbled and honored to receive the award, noting, “The AASV has been the most important professional association in my career. It has enabled me to be a lifelong learner. The professional relationships have become some of my most important personal relationships. Most importantly, it has offered me an opportunity to serve the industry that I love. I thank the committee for being selected and hope to always live up to the tenets of this award.”
Dr Rowles and his wife Beth reside in Carroll, Iowa, and have three children, Mathew, Brian, and Johnny.
Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year Award was presented to Dr Amber Stricker. It is given annually to 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.
Dr Stricker is a 2008 graduate of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and received a masters in veterinary microbiology in 2007, also from Iowa State University. She grew up on a farm near St Ansgar, Iowa, where her family raised corn, soybeans, cattle, and pigs. She was interested in agriculture at an early age and excelled in 4-H and FFA. She had her own cow-calf herd and market hogs and showed them at the county and state fairs.
Dr Stricker is a partner and practicing veterinarian at Suidae Health and Production, a seven-veterinarian, swine-exclusive practice based out of Algona, Iowa. She resides in Albert Lea, Minnesota, where she serves swine clients locally as well as throughout the Midwest. She is a member of AASV, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association. She received the 2009 Boehringer Ingelheim PRRS Research Award and serves as a member on the Minnesota Pork Board research committee.
When asked to comment on receiving the award, Dr Stricker replied, “Receiving this award is extremely humbling and a great honor. I am very grateful to be part of an organization that has such great professionalism and character among its members. I owe my successes to my family who continue to be incredibly supportive of me as I pursue my career in veterinary medicine, as well as to those who have mentored me along the way.”
Dr Stricker resides in Albert Lea, Minnesota, with her husband Jerad and two daughters Ella (2 years old) and Lucy (5 months).
Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year
Dr Brad Thacker received the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ 2013 Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year Award. Established in 2008, the award recognizes swine-industry veterinarians who have demonstrated an unusual degree of proficiency and effectiveness in delivery of veterinary service to their companies and their clients, as well as given tirelessly in service to the AASV and the swine industry.
Dr Thacker was recognized for his years of service as the Senior Technical Services Specialist for Merck Animal Health. In his position, Dr Thacker’s responsibilities include providing technical support for Merck products and the company’s sales force. Swine producers he works with commented on his skill at mentoring recent veterinary graduates and educating farm employees.
Dr Thacker received his DVM (1978), MS (1982), and PhD (1985) from the University of Minnesota. He later earned an MBA (2002) at Iowa State University. He was in private practice in Fairmont and New Ulm, Minnesota, before joining the faculty at Michigan State University in 1983. In 1994 he accepted an associate professorship in the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine at Iowa State University. He joined the technical team at Merck (then Intervet Schering-Plough) in 2002.
Dr Thacker has authored numerous publications in scientific journals and book chapters. He is a frequent speaker at professional conferences and continuing-education seminars worldwide. He is also a frequent author in producer and lay publications and a highly sought-after presenter at educational seminars for producer groups. Dr Thacker has received a number of honors, including the H. C. H. Kernkamp Award for contributions to the profession of veterinary medicine (1978) and the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence at Iowa State University (1999). He is board certified in Swine Health Management and Professional Animal Scientist (Swine).
When asked to comment on what the award meant to him, Dr Thacker said, “This award is greatly appreciated and I would like to thank the selection committee, everyone who supported my nomination, and all of my veterinary colleagues that I have had the opportunity to work with over the past 35 years. An award like this would not be possible without the support of our customers, who not only purchase products, but also provide opportunities to improve the health and productivity of their pigs by working with technical services veterinarians.”
Dr Thacker and his wife Eileen currently reside in Columbia, Maryland, and have two grown children, Stacy and Paul.
Student Seminar and scholarships
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation awarded scholarships totaling $25,000 to 15 veterinary students during the 44th AASV annual meeting in San Diego, California.
Chris Olsen, Iowa State University, received the $5000 scholarship for top student presentation. His presentation was titled “Probability of detecting PRRSV infection using pen-based swine oral fluid specimens as a function of within-pen prevalence.” Zoetis provided the financial support for the Best Student Presenter award.
Recipient of the $5000 scholarship for Best Student Presenter during AASV’s Student Seminar: Chris Olsen, Iowa State University. Pictured with Chris is Dr Rick Swalla (right) of Zoetis, sponsor of the Student Seminar and Best Student Presenter Award.  |
Additional scholarships totaling $20,000 were provided by Eli Lilly and Company Foundation on behalf of Elanco Animal Health.
Four veterinary student presenters received $2500 scholarships: Brian Bishop, Iowa State University; Jordan Graham, Iowa State University; Kelsey LaVigne, North Carolina State University; and Brent Pepin, Iowa State University.
Five veterinary student presenters received $1500 scholarships: Michael Berkland, Iowa State University; Alyssa Blaustein, University of Pennsylvania; Anne Duquette, University of Minnesota; Sam Holst, University of Minnesota; and Caleb Robb, Iowa State University.
Those student presenters receiving $500 scholarships were Paisley Canning, University of Guelph; Kevin Dobesh, Iowa State University; Joseph Katz, University of Pennsylvania; Jacob Schwartz, University of Minnesota; and Katherine Wedel, University of Minnesota.
Dr Stacie Warner (far right) on behalf of Elanco Animal Health presented scholarships provided by Eli Lilly and Company Foundation. Recipients of the $2500 AASV Foundation scholarships were (from left) Kelsey LaVigne, North Carolina State University; Brent Pepin, Iowa State University; Brian Bishop, Iowa State University; Jordan Graham, Iowa State University  |
Dr Stacie Warner (far right) on behalf of Elanco Animal Health presented scholarships provided by Eli Lilly and Company Foundation. Recipients of the $1500 AASV Foundation scholarships were (from left) Sam Holst, University of Minnesota; Michael Berkland, Iowa State University; Caleb Robb, Iowa State University; Alyssa Blaustein, University of Pennsylvania. Not pictured: Anne Duquette, University of Minnesota.  |
Dr Stacie Warner (far right) on behalf of Elanco Animal Health presented scholarships provided by Eli Lilly and Company Foundation. Recipients of the $500 AASV Foundation scholarships were (from left) Katherine Wedel, University of Minnesota; Jacob Schwartz, University of Minnesota; Joseph Katz, University of Pennsylvania; Paisley Canning, University of Guelph; and Kevin Dobesh, Iowa State University.  |
Sixty-five veterinary students representing 14 universities submitted 70 abstracts for consideration. From those submissions, 15 students were selected to present during the annual meeting. Zoetis, sponsor of the Student Seminar, provided a $750 travel stipend to each student selected to participate.
A panel of judges selected the recipients on the basis of communications skills in the writing of the abstract and the presentation of the report, and on applicability of the research to swine medicine.
Student Poster Competition
The AASV provided an opportunity for 15 veterinary students to compete for awards in the Veterinary Student Poster Competition. Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc sponsored the competition, offering awards totaling $4000.
On the basis of scores received in the original judging of abstracts submitted for the AASV Student Seminar, the top 15 abstracts not selected for oral presentation at the annual meeting were eligible to compete in the poster competition.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc announced the following awards during the AASV Luncheon on March 4:
$500 Award: Ethan Spronk, University of Minnesota – Top student poster entitled “A serial study to determine piglet vaccination age based on maternal antibody decay, time of infection and potential aerosolization of Mycoplasma hyorhinis.”
$400 awards: Amy Martell, University of Pennsylvania, and Marisa Rotolo, Iowa State University.
$300 awards: Stacy Brussell, University of Minnesota; Deanne Day, Iowa State University; and Kalie Pettit, University of Minnesota.
$200 awards: Daniel Boykin, North Carolina State University; Alexander Hintz, University of Wisconsin; Levi Johnson, Iowa State University; Michelle Lam, University of Guelph; Dana Lembke, Iowa State University; Brittney McLamb, North Carolina State University; Shonna Parker, University of Tennessee; Shawna Rossini, University of Pennsylvania; and Kathryn Sullivan, University of Pennsylvania.
Dr Brian Payne (right), representing sponsor Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedia, Inc, congratulates Ethan Spronk, University of Minnesota, on winning the top prize of $500 for best poster  |
Dr Brian Payne (right), representing sponsor Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc, congratulates the $400 poster-competition winners (from left) Marisa Rotolo, Iowa State University, and Amy Martell, University of Pennsylvania  |
Dr Brian Payne (right), representing sponsor Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc, congratulates the $300 poster-competition winner Deanne Day, Iowa State University. Other winners not pictured: Stacy Brussell, University of Minnesota, and Kalie Pettit, University of Minnesota.  |
Dr Brian Payne (far right), representing sponsor Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc, congratulates the $200 poster-competition winners (from left): Dana Lembke, Iowa State University; Levi Johnson, Iowa State University; Alexander Hintz, University of Wisconsin; Shawna Rossini, University of Pennsylvania; Brittney McLamb, North Carolina State University; Shonna Parker, University of Tennessee; Michelle Lam, University of Guelph; Daniel Boykin, North Carolina State University; and Kathryn Sullivan, University of Pennsylvania  |
In addition to the poster-competition awards, each student poster participant received a $250 travel stipend from Zoetis.
Annual Business Breakfast
Dr Tara Donovan reported on the association’s membership and activities. She stated that there are 1719 members, including 366 student members. Dr Donovan thanked outgoing directors Dr Kent Schwartz (District 6) and Shamus Brown, Student Delegate to the board, for their service. She congratulated re-elected board members Dr Bill Starke (District 3) and Brian Schantz (District 8), incoming director Dr Alex Ramirez (District 6), and Alternate Student Delegate Amy Daniels.
Honored guests at the business breakfast included Dr Ron Dehaven (AVMA Executive Vice President), Dr Chet Rawson (AVMA Executive Board Liaison), and Dr Liz Wagstrom (National Pork Producers Council). Each guest addressed the audience with updates from their respective organizations.
New officers
Dr Matt Anderson, Algona, Iowa, was installed as the president of the AASV during the Business Breakfast on March 5. He succeeds Dr Tara Donovan, Richland Center, Wisconsin, who is now immediate past president. Dr Michelle Sprague, Audubon, Iowa, has ascended to president-elect. The newly elected vice president is Dr Ron Brodersen, Hartington, Nebraska.
Save the dates
The 2014 annual meeting is scheduled for March 1-4, 2014, in Dallas, Texas.
Photo courtesy statement
Photos are courtesy of Tina Smith.