American Association of Swine Veterinarians - Feb. 26, 2022

Event

53rd annual meeting, Feb. 26-March 1, Indianapolis

Program

The meeting drew 880 attendees, including veterinarians, veterinary students, and exhibitors. The theme was “Defining the Future.” On offer were 11 pre-conference seminars, two general sessions, three breakout sessions, three concurrent sessions, a research session, three sessions from industry partners, a student seminar, and a poster session. Veterinarians and veterinary students learned about influenza, pharmacology, feed risks, applied field research, nutrition, preparedness for and response to foreign animal diseases, and leadership within the veterinary profession. Speakers during the general sessions shared perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion in veterinary medicine. Concurrent sessions addressed evaluating and managing the RFLP 1-4-4 variant of the virus that causes porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, thinking critically about sustainability and animal welfare, and considering new tools to address disease prevention, control, and elimination. Member well-being was emphasized via the AASV Veterinarian Well-being Center. Dr. Angela Baysinger, animal welfare lead for North America with Merck Animal Health, delivered the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture, titled “Leaping Into the Future: Sit Down, Buckle Up, and Hang on.” Dr. James Kober, an independent consultant and contract hog finisher, presented the Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture, titled “Learning for the Future.” The AASV held its annual business meeting and an awards presentation, and the AASV Foundation held its annual fundraising auction.

Awards

Swine Practitioner of the Year
Dr. Dyneah M. Classen (Illinois ’07), Hamilton, Illinois, won this award, given to a swine practitioner for proficiency and effectiveness in delivering veterinary service. Dr. Classen is a partner at Carthage Veterinary Service in Carthage, Illinois, where she serves as director of health for the Carthage system and assigned herds. She has served on the AASV Pig Welfare Committee and has chaired the AASV Student Recruitment Committee.

Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year
Dr. Lauren Glowzenski (Pennsylvania ’16), Oakville, Iowa, won this award, given to an AASV member for exemplary service and proficiency within five years of graduation. Dr. Glowzenski serves as manager of veterinarian services at TriOak Foods in Oakville, Iowa, where she is responsible for the health and well-being of the company’s pigs. She is a member of the AASV Boar Stud and Pharmaceutical Issues committees and the AASV PRRS Task Force.

Meritorious Service Award
Dr. Daryl Olsen (Iowa State ’82), Audubon, Iowa, won this award, given for outstanding service to the association. Dr. Olsen is a managing partner at Audubon-Manning Veterinary Clinic. He chairs the Swine Health Information Center’s board of directors and helped establish and serves on the board of directors of the Swine Medicine Education Center at Iowa State University. Dr. Olsen is a past president of the AASV.

Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year
Dr. Montserrat Torremorell, St. Paul, Minnesota, was the inaugural recipient of this award, given to an AASV member employed in academia who has demonstrated excellence in teaching, research, and service to the swine veterinary profession. A 1994 veterinary graduate of the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Spain, Dr. Torremorell is a professor and interim chair of the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses on the transmission, control, and elimination of influenza and PRRS virus in pigs. Dr. Torremorell also conducts research on biosecurity technologies with applicability to prevent and mitigate airborne infections in pigs. She is chair of the planning committee for the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference and volunteers with the AASV PRRS Task Force.

Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year
Dr. Gregory Cline (Missouri ’90), Plattsburg, Missouri, won this award, recognizing veterinarians for proficiency and effectiveness in delivering veterinary service to companies and clients and for tireless service to the AASV and swine industry. Dr. Cline serves as the senior key account veterinarian for swine at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. He previously worked for Cargill Pork and Carroll’s Food. Dr. Cline has represented District 3— Arkansas, Kentucky, and Missouri—on the AASV board of directors and is a member of the AASV Human Health, Safety, and Well-being Committee.

Howard Dunne Memorial Award
Dr. Tim Loula (Minnesota ’78), St. Peter, Minnesota, won this award given to an AASV member who has made important contributions and provided outstanding service to the association and to the swine industry. Dr. Loula is a co-founder and co-owner of the Swine Veterinary Center in St. Peter, Minnesota. He previously practiced mixed animal medicine, focusing on swine. Dr. Loula is a past president of the AASV.

AASV Foundation Awards
Hogg Scholarship ($10,000): Drs. Neal Benjamin (Illinois ’16), Solon, Iowa, and Jessica Seate (Michigan State ’11), Nacogdoches, Texas; Dr. Conrad and Judy Schmidt Family Student Debt Relief Endowment Scholarship ($5,000): Drs. Brandi Burton (Illinois ’19), Humboldt, Iowa; Chris Deegan (Minnesota ’18), Sauk Center, Minnesota; and Allison Knox (Illinois ’19), Walcott, Iowa. In addition, the foundation awarded $100,000 toward four research proposals, $25,000 in scholarships to 15 veterinary students, and stipends of $750 to veterinary students selected to participate in a student seminar.

Also at the meeting, the AASV awarded $4,000 total in scholarships to 15 veterinary students via the Veterinary Student Poster Competition, sponsored by United Animal Health. Random Bolda, a second-year student at Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, was awarded the David A. Schoneweis Scholarship ($1,000).

Business

Dr. Mary Battrell, AASV immediate past president, reported on the association’s membership and activities. Several AASV committees met to discuss important issues in swine health, public health, animal well-being, and membership services. The AASV Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, established in 2021, focused its discussions on promoting a socially conscious organizational culture that affirms the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Officials

Drs. Michael Senn, Newton, Kansas, president; William Hollis, Carthage, Illinois, president-elect; Angela Baysinger, Bruning, Nebraska, vice president, and Mary Battrell, Warsaw, North Carolina, immediate past president