AASV news: 2002 AASV Annual Meeting Report

The 33rd Annual Meeting of the AASV was convened at the Westin Crown Center, Kansas City, Missouri, March 2 to 5, 2002. "ExceedingExpectations" was the theme of the program under the leadership of Dr Lisa Tokach, AASV President-Elect.

The total registration of 886 included 135 speakers, 82 veterinary students, and 141 commercial "Tech Table" representatives. Presentations blending domestic and foreign disease concerns with bioterrorism and the vigilance needed made the 147 international attendees special contributors at this annual meeting.

AASV Board and Officers meet

The annual meeting of the AASV Board of Directors was called to order by President David Madsen at 7 am on March 2, 2002. The Board approved the AASV membership in the National Institute of Animal Agriculture (NIAA) with a request for direct representation on the NIAA Board of Directors. Dr Tom Burkgren was named as a possible representative to the NIAA Board.


Attendees at the annual meeting of the AASV Board of Directors. Seated, left to right, are Dr Tom Burkgren, Dr David Madsen, Dr Bob Morrison, and Dr Rick Sibbel. Standing, left to right, are Dr Larry Firkins, Dr Mike Sheridan, Dr Jerome Geiger, Dr RC Ebert, Dr Harry Snelson, Dr Keith Wilson, Dr Angela Baysinger, Dr Michael Senn, Dr Lisa Tokach, Dr Jeff Blythe, Dr Michael Mull, and Dr John Waddell.

AASV 2002 Officers left to right: David Madsen, Past President; Lisa Tokach, President; Rick Sibbel, President-Elect; John Waddell, Vice President
A report from the Journal of Swine Health and Production (JSHAP) included an update on the application to MEDLINE for listing the JSHAP refereed articles. The balance betweenresearch and practitioner information manuscripts in JSHAP was also addressed.

The Boar Stud Guidelines authored by an ad hoc committee and chaired by Dr Gary Althouse received extensive review by the Board. A motion was passed asking for a modification of the guidelines regarding specific language. An animal welfare report by Dr Paul Sundberg addressed the National Pork Board discussions and activities with "vendor partners" such as McDonalds.

A number of other AASV committees reported on their activities and future plans.

Dr Robert Dietl, AVMA Executive Board Liaison, reported on National Commision
on Veterinary Economic Issues progress involving focus groups and benchmarking. The Board expressed their appreciation as Dr Dietl completed his sixth and final year of AASV-AVMA representation.

Pre-convention seminars

Five excellent pre-conference seminars were held on Saturday afternoon. They included sessions on Swine ventilation, Reproductive pharmacology and technology, Applied pharmacology (choosing your weapons), Advances in elements of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and type 2 circovirus (diagnostics, research, and pathogenesis), and Excellent customer service (12 best practices).

On Sunday morning, nine additional seminars were held, including one in Spanish, "Producción porcina en climas cálidos". Other seminar topics included Skills and tools for the clinician; Predictions, projections, and pivot tables; Foreign animal disease (the harsh reality); and Building your family's financial future. The concluding seminars focused on feed risk management and financial preparedness for the soon-to-be veterinarian. A juggling session ended the morning with a lighter side experience.

Industrial Partners and Technical Tables

The AASV Industrial Partners made 45 concurrentpresentations in three separate settings on Sunday afternoon. The ballroom area of the Westin Crown Center provided a spacious setting for 55 Technical Tables on Monday and Tuesday. Activity, discussion, and refreshments were plentiful

Student seminar

The student seminar sponsored by Alpharma Animal Health on Sunday afternoon drew a large crowd of attendees. Research and case reports were presented by 15 students from nine universities. Alpharma provided a $500 travel stipend and a special gift to each student participant. The students represented the following universities: Guelph, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas State, Missouri, Ohio State, Pennsylvania, Purdue, and Saskatchewan.

General Session

The general session on Monday morning opened with Dr Tim Blackwell of Fergus, Ontario, presenting a very informative Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture entitled "Exceeding Expectations". He emphasized that the veterinarian must assume responsibility for ALL medications used on swine farms. Continuing, Dr Blackwell said that medicine, animal health, and welfare are all connected by regular contact with the client, thereby insuring surveillance. He noted that animal care and welfare are best understood through four different ethical perspectives. He defined the traditional ethic, the popular ethic, the religious ethic, and finally the legal ethic. Dr Blackwell concluded his discussion by stating that the popular ethic must be understood because, by repetition, it eventually becomes the legal ethic.  
Howard Dunne Memorial Lecturer Dr Tim Blackwell

Dr Steve Dritz of Manhattan, Kansas, presented information on "Interpreting data" during this session. He made several memorable comments such as "The plural of 'anecdote' isn't 'data'" and "Sometimes the best interpretationof the data would be to do nothing".

The United Kingdom foot-and-mouth disease outbreak was vividly described by Dr Phil Erwin of Wellington, Kansas. His client relationships while working in the UK countryside provided new insights as to the drastic social trauma the United States could expect in an FMD outbreak.

Luncheon

The Monday Luncheon was sponsored by Pharmacia Animal Health and featured comments by American Association of Bovine Practitioners Vice President Dr Mark Spire of Manhattan, Kansas, who brought greetings from the bovine practitioners. Dr Robert Hertzog of Lees Summit, Missouri, gave an AVMA Executive Board report to the membership. He informed the group that he will be the AVMA liaison to the AASV during the next 4 years. Mr Steve Murphy, chief executive officer of the National Pork Board (NPB), addressed mutual NPB and AASV issues. The veterinary staff of the NPB was introduced.

Dr Hank Harris, President of the International Pig Veterinary Society (IPVS), invited the attendees to the IPVS 2002 Congress on June 2 to 5 in Ames, Iowa. He reported that the attendance projections, programming, housing, and social agenda are all on schedule.

Dr K.T. Wright gave the AASV Foundation report. He shared with the membership a total pledge of over $100,000 from ten AASV contributors to leave a "legacy" for future swine veterinarians. Dr Wright urged others to seriously consider this giving opportunity.

AASV Foundation auction

Great support for the AASV Foundation was initiated through both a silent auction and a live auction. Mrs Carla Coleman and Mrs Betty Wright, AASV member spouses, assembled a tempting array of pig accessories for the silent auction. Additional items were donated by Tracy Raef, Intervet, PIC, Schering-Plough Animal Health, and Genetiporc USA.

The live auction included a Wyoming family fishing expedition guided by AASV member Dr Don Walter, a pheasant hunting trip guided by AASV member Dr Daryl Olsen, a G Loomis fishing rod and reel donated by the AVMA-Professional Liability Insurance Trust (PLIT), the Terry Redlin framed print "Coming Home", donated by AASV member Dr Mark Engle, and a day of servitude each from AASV Past Presidents Dr Howard Hill and Dr Larry Rueff.

The cost of the live auction items was underwritten by monetary contributions from a select group of companies designated as "Friends of the Foundation." These companies included Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Elanco Animal Health, Merial, Pharmacia Animal Health, Schering-Plough Animal Health, and AVMA-PLIT.

Dr Tom Burkgren ably performed the professional auctioneering duties. Auctioning off one day of volunteer labor donated by Drs Howard Hill and Larry Rueff was a memorable event. The two auctions netted $14,031 for the AASV Foundation.

Student scholarships

"Transcervical insemination: Effects of variation in total sperm number per dose on fertility"won the AASV Foundation $5000 scholarship for Nicolas Rippel, University of Illinois. The funds for this scholarship are provided by Alpharma Animal Health. Winners of $2000 scholarships included Andrea Hambach, University of Missouri; Heather Gunn, University of Guelph; Jason Kelly, Purdue University; Tamara Richards, Univer
sity of Guelph; Tim Taylor, Kansas State University; Matthew D. Wegner, Iowa State University; and Beth Young, University of Guelph. The funds for these seven scholarships are provided by Elanco Animal Health.

Winners of $2000 Elanco Animal Health student scholarships, left to right, Andrea Hambach ((University of Missouri), Jason Kelly (Purdue University), Heather Gunn (University of Guelph), Beth Young (University of Guelph), Tamara Richards (University of Guelph), and Matt Wegner (Iowa State University). Not pictured, Tim Taylor (Kansas State University). Far right, winner of the Alpharma $5000 scholarship, Nicolas Rippel (University of Illinois).

Awards

Dr Barbara Straw, East Lansing, Michigan, was chosen to receive the Meritorious Service Award and received numerous accolades at the Monday evening banquet. Her many scientific and volunteer contributions were recognized and complimented by the AASV membership.

  
Dr Alan Scheidt presents the AASV Meritorious Service Award to Dr Barbara Straw

 The Howard Dunne Memorial Award was presented to Dr Steve Henry, Solomon, Kansas, for his outstanding leadership through AASV, AVMA, and all other segments of the veterinary profession. His activity in the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act and his visionary messages through many years of volunteerism were affirmed. As Past President of AASV and 1981 Practitioner of the Year, it was noted that he has done it all.

 
Dr Steve Henry receives the Howard Dunne Memorial Award

Dr Larry Rueff, Greensburg, Indiana, was chosen by his colleagues as the 2002 Swine Practitioner of the Year. A very appreciative Dr Rueff responded "This recognition is an unbelievable climax to my 25 years in swine veterinary medicine!" He especially thanked his mentors and partner colleagues for their support.

Dr Larry Rueff, AASV Swine Practitioner of the Year, with his wife, Gail, and his daughter, Erin
Business breakfast

Dr Lisa Tokach of Abilene, Kansas, accepted the president's gavel from Dr Dave Madsen at the Tuesday morning business breakfast. Dr Rick Sibbel, Ankeny, Iowa, was installed as President-Elect, and newly elected Dr John Waddell of Sutton, Nebraska, accepted the position of AASV Vice President. The 2003 AASV annual meeting will be held at the Hyatt Orlando, Orlando, Florida, on March 8 to 11, 2003. Dr Rick Sibbel will serve as program chairman and said "You all come and enjoy sunny Florida next March."


Special AASV Foundation Partners

The AASV Foundation offers its sincere thanks and appreciation to the following companies who made substantialfinancial contributions in support of the AASV Foundation programs at the AASV 2002 Annual Meeting:

  • Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica
  • Elanco Animal Health
  • Merial
  • Pharmacia Animal Health