San Diego – the site of the upcoming AASV Annual Meeting – is known for its marvelous year-round climate, being ranked by the Weather Channel as number one in the nation. There is no better place to escape the late winter doldrums. It is a great place to visit, relax, and enjoy activities with family, friends, and colleagues.

We hope that one of the most enjoyable activities during the meeting next March will be the AASV Foundation’s annual fundraising auction. We are looking forward to your support and participation in the auction to help ensure the future of your profession. The auction committee has lofty goals and we can only achieve them with your help!

Since the 1920’s, the San Diego Harbor area has been the home of the US Navy, Airforce, Marines, and Coast Guard stations. The well-known and elite Navy SEALs train and deploy from there. San Diego is home to the largest naval fleet in the world and has the only submarine and ship-building yard on the West Coast. With this in mind, the committee has chosen “Rock the Boat – SEAL the Deal” as our 2018 auction theme.

The Navy SEALs are known for their slogan, Have a Shared Sense of Purpose. Please remember our shared sense of purpose as we strive to make the AASV Foundation’s endowed funds self-sustainable, ensuring our future effectiveness.

Your 2018 auction committee is actively soliciting donations for both the live and silent auctions. Please be generous investing in the future of the foundation, and make your commitments as soon as possible. Our success depends on you, the membership, so help us put together another fun-filled auction night at our annual meeting. We are confident of our endeavor and the commitment of AASV members. Remember that the value of the auction items will determine the live and silent auction tiers: Your generosity counts!

If you have questions or just want to discuss possibilities, please contact any of the committee members. Download the donation form at www.aasv.org/foundation/2018/Donationform.pdf and submit a description and image of your item(s) by December 1. Your contribution will be recognized in the printed auction catalog as well as on the auction Web site, and your name will appear in the JSHAP full-page spread recognizing all of our auction item donors. If that’s not enough, there’s a good chance Dr Harry Snelson will say something witty about your donation in the AASV e-Letter, too!

The AASV Foundation is committed to ensuring the future of the swine veterinary profession. Proceeds from the auction enable funding for AASV Foundation programs, including

• Administering endowments for the Howard Dunne and Alex Hogg Memorial Lectures
• Administering the Hogg Scholarship for a swine veterinarian pursuing an MS or PhD
• Administering funding for Veterinary Student Scholarships
• Funding scholarships for veterinarians pursuing board certification in the American College of Animal Welfare
• Co-sponsoring travel stipends for veterinary students attending the AASV Annual Meeting
• Providing swine externship grants to veterinary students
• Funding swine research with direct application to the profession
• Providing support for Heritage Videos
• Providing tuition support for out-of-state veterinary students to attend the Swine Medicine Education Center.

On your mark, get set, go!

As AASV’s 50th anniversary draws near in 2019, the AASV Foundation board has set a “big, hairy, audacious goal” of building the foundation’s endowed funds to $2 million by the 2019 AASV Annual Meeting. The annual auction, fundraising events, and support from industry and members fund the majority of the programs fulfilling the foundation’s mission, but growth of the endowed funds is largely due to supporters who become Leman, Heritage, or Legacy contributors.

Since the foundation’s inception, the recruitment of endowed contributions has been left mostly to the efforts of a few stalwart members, such as Drs K. T. Wright, Connie Schmidt, and the late Rod Johnson. But if current AASV Foundation Chairman Dr John Waddell has his way, that will soon change! Dr Waddell is challenging the AASV past presidents, along with the current and past foundation board members, to each recruit at least three new contributors to become Leman, Heritage, or Legacy donors (or to increase their support from one level to the next) by 2019.

Dr Waddell has backed up his challenge with an incentive: not only will those who achieve the goal receive recognition, but the member who recruits the most by the end of 2018 will also receive complimentary registration and suite lodging for the 2019 (50th) AASV Annual Meeting in Orlando! The following scoring system will be used to determine the rankings. It allots 1 point for each $1000 contribution-pledge, as follows:

• New Leman Fellow: 1 point
• New Heritage Fellow: 5 points
• New Legacy Fund: 50 points
• Leman to Heritage: 4 points
• Heritage to Legacy: 45 points

When a contributor enrolls in one of the endowed giving programs, or increases their contribution to the next level, they’ll be asked to specify the past president or foundation board member to credit with the challenge points.

Already, the “Past Presidents’ Challenge” has generated new donors for the foundation. The AASV’s Webmaster and IT Specialist David Brown became the most recent Leman Fellow, crediting his enrollment to the late Dr Bob Morrison, who, as the first executive editor of Swine Health and Production, hired Dave to do work for AASV back in 1992. In addition, Dr Matt Ackerman, a Leman Fellow since 2001, has joined the ranks of the Heritage Fellows. He attributed his contribution to his former business partner and AASV past president, Dr Larry Rueff. The game is on!

Dr Waddell emphasizes that previous endowed contributions count towards achieving the next giving level. So a Leman Fellow who has already contributed $1000 needs only an additional $4000 to reach the Heritage level. Similarly, if a Heritage Fellow has already made a $5000 commitment, the difference of $45,000 will achieve Legacy Fund status.

For more information about the AASV Foundation endowment, or to make a contribution, see www.aasv.org/foundation or contact the AASV: 515-465-5255 or aasv@aasv.org.

Scholarships support welfare certification efforts

Earlier this year, in an effort to increase the number of swine veterinarians who are board certified in the American College of Animal Welfare (ACAW), the AASV Foundation instituted the ACAW Scholarship program. The foundation is pleased to announce that a review committee led by foundation board member Dr Lisa Tokach has approved two applicants to receive the new scholarships: Drs Madonna Benjamin and Monique Pairis-Garcia.

Dr Benjamin is an assistant professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Michigan State University (MSU), where her clinical activities include serving as swine health extension veterinarian for MSU Extension. In her role on the extension team, she has been a part of efforts to contribute to swine welfare through low stress handling, digital imaging for body composition and locomotion scores, and using simulator pigs for training on effective, safe, and humane methods of swine euthanasia. Dr Benjamin’s research interests include human-animal interaction, the use of systematic observation techniques to identify compromised animals within a population, and factor determinants of timely euthanasia.

Dr Benjamin received her DVM degree from the University of Guelph in 1995 and a Master’s degree in applied ethology from MSU in 1998. She was employed by Elanco Animal Health in research and technical support, with early research that included cause and effect of downer pigs during transport. Dr Benjamin established Veterinary Science Consulting Inc in Alberta, Canada, a swine practice with an “overarching goal to improve the well-being and prosperity of both livestock (pigs) and producers,” before returning to join the faculty at MSU. She has already made significant progress towards the completion of her plan of study. The scholarship funds will support her attendance at numerous welfare workshops, short courses, and symposia to prepare for the board examination, which she anticipates sitting for in the summer of 2018.

Dr Pairis-Garcia received her DVM degree from Iowa State University (ISU) in 2011, followed by a PhD in animal physiology in 2014, also earned at ISU. Since then, she has been employed as an assistant professor in The Ohio State University College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences, with a 65% extension/35% teaching appointment focused primarily on animal welfare and behavior in livestock industries. Despite not having a research appointment, she values applied research as an effective means of extension to improve swine welfare and has directed her research efforts toward timely and humane euthanasia, on-farm welfare assessments and audits, and alternative management practices to improve animal welfare on-farm.

Dr Pairis-Garcia is a member of AASV’s Pig Welfare Committee as well as the National Pork Board’s Animal Welfare Committee. She holds Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO) certification in swine, poultry, and slaughter facilities, and works extensively in training auditors. Like Dr Benjamin, she hopes to take the board examination in 2018, and plans to use the scholarship funds to support attendance at ACAW conferences as well as to purchase textbooks to assist with her studies preparing for the exam. She looks forward to supporting science-based improvement in swine welfare and ensuring that swine veterinarians have a voice in future decision-making related to animal welfare expectations and legislation.

Vet Students: Ten $5000 scholarships to be awarded in 2018

The AASV Foundation is pleased to announce that Merck Animal Health has doubled its support for the AASVF-Merck Veterinary Student Scholarship Program, enabling the foundation to award ten $5000 scholarships to sophomore and junior veterinary students in 2018. Now in its third year, the program seeks to identify future swine veterinarians and assist with their educational expenses. Applications are due December 31, 2017, for scholarships that will be announced at the 2018 AASV Annual Meeting.

Second- and third-year veterinary students enrolled in AVMA-accredited or AVMA-recognized colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, or the Caribbean Islands are eligible to apply. All applicants must be current (2017-2018) student members of AASV. To apply, students submit a resume and the name of a faculty member or AASV member to serve as a reference, along with written answers to four essay questions. The application and instructions are available at https://www.aasv.org/foundation/2018/AASVF-MerckScholarships.php.

A committee of four conducts the selection process. Two foundation board members and two AASV members-at-large rank the applicants by scoring their past and current activities, level of interest in swine veterinary medicine, future career plans, and financial need. The scholarship recipients will be announced during the 2018 AASV Annual Meeting in San Diego, and the scholarship funds will be disbursed after the conference.

The AASVF-Merck Veterinary Student Scholarship Program is but one way in which the AASV Foundation fulfills its mission of “supporting the development and scholarship of students and veterinarians interested in the swine industry.” For more information on scholarships and other AASV Foundation programs, see www.aasv.org/foundation.

Swine veterinarians invited to apply for Hogg Scholarship

The American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation is pleased to offer the Hogg Scholarship, established to honor the memory of longtime AASV member and swine industry leader Dr Alex Hogg. Applications for the $10,000 scholarship will be accepted until February 1, 2018, and the scholarship recipient will be announced on Sunday, March 4, during the Foundation Luncheon at the AASV 2018 Annual Meeting in San Diego.

The intent of the scholarship is to assist a swine veterinarian in his or her efforts to return to school for graduate education (resulting in a master’s degree or higher) in an academic field of study related to swine health and production.

Dr Alex Hogg’s career serves as the ideal model for successful applicants. After 20 years in mixed-animal practice, Dr Hogg pursued a master’s degree in veterinary pathology. He subsequently became Nebraska swine extension veterinarian and professor at the University of Nebraska. Upon “retirement,” Dr Hogg capped off his career with his work for MVP Laboratories. Always an enthusiastic learner, at age 75 he graduated from the Executive Veterinary Program offered at the University of Illinois.

The scholarship application requirements are outlined below and on the AASV Web site at https://www.aasv.org/foundation/hoggscholarship.htm.

Hogg Scholarship application requirements

An applicant for the Hogg Scholarship shall have

1. Five or more years of experience as a swine veterinarian, either in a private practice or in an integrated production setting, and

2. Five or more years of continuous membership in the American Association of Swine Veterinarians.

Applicants are required to submit the following for consideration as a Hogg Scholar:

1. Current curriculum vitae,

2. Letter of intent detailing his or her plans for graduate education and future plans for participation and employment within the swine industry,

3. Two letters of reference from AASV members attesting to the applicant’s qualifications to be a Hogg Scholar.

Applications and requests for information may be addressed to AASV Foundation, 830 26th Street, Perry, IA 50220-2328; Tel: 515-465-5255; E-mail: aasv@aasv.org.

Foundation to fund research in 2018: Submit proposals by January 16

As part of its mission to fund research with direct application to the profession, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation is accepting research proposals to be considered for funding in 2018. Proposals are due January 16, 2018, and may request a maximum of $30,000 (US$) per project. A maximum of $60,000 will be awarded across two or more projects. The announcement of projects selected for funding will take place at the AASV Foundation Luncheon in San Diego, California, on Sunday, March 4, 2018 (awardees will be notified in advance).

Proposed research should fit one of the five action areas stated in the AASV Foundation mission statement (see sidebar).

The instructions for submitting proposals are available on the AASV Foundation Web site at https://www.aasv.org/foundation/2018/research.php. Proposals may be submitted by mail or e-mail (preferred).

A panel of AASV members will evaluate and select proposals for funding on the basis of the following scoring system:

• Potential benefit to swine veterinarians/swine industry (40 points)
• Probability of success within timeline (35 points)
• Scientific/investigative quality (15 points)
• Budget justification (5 points)
• Originality (5 points)

For more information, or to submit a proposal:

AASV Foundation, 830 26th Street, Perry, IA 50220-2328; Tel: 515-465-5255; Fax: 515-465-3832; E-mail: aasv@aasv.org.

Cool weather, hot golf at foundation fundraiser

Forty-four golfers on 11 teams took to the field to support the AASV Foundation at Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Ames, Iowa, on Thursday, August 24. The weather was pleasant with only a gentle breeze, but one team blew through the course, dominating the best-ball competition. The GlobalVetLINK foursome of Tyler Eagan, Tyler Holck, Dan Shipton, and Bryan Steffen made one eagle, 14 birdies, and three pars on their way to an impressive score of 56 on the par-72 course.

“Tiebreaker” was the name of the game for the remaining teams, whose scores were largely clustered in the mid- to upper 60s. The second- and third-place teams were both hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim and shared a score of 64, with a single tiebreaker stroke on hole #7 separating the two. The BI/Orange City Vet Clinic foursome of Jeff Blythe, Dave Bomgaars, Dave Iverson, and Tom Wetzell claimed 2nd place honors, while BI’s other foursome, Keith Bretey, Jeff OKones, Doug Quam, and Justin Rustvold, took 3rd. Tiebreaker scores were also needed to determine placings for the teams that scored 66s and 67s.

In addition to the best-ball team competition, golfers enjoyed a variety of individual contests across the course, thanks in part to strong sponsorship support. Golf hole sponsors included Aurora Pharmaceutical, Ceva Animal Health, GlobalVetLINK, Huvepharma, Insight Wealth Group, NPPC, and Pharmgate Animal Health. Lunch for the golfers was sponsored by APC, while Zoetis kept golfers hydrated with their support of the beverage cart.

The annual golf outing raises funds to support foundation programs, including scholarships, research grants, travel stipends for veterinary students to attend the annual meeting, tuition support for the Swine Medicine Education Center, swine externship grants, and more.

The event concluded with a pork dinner sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, during which the event coordinator, Josh Ellingson, recognized the following team and individual contest winners:

Championship flight

First place team hosted by GlobalVetLINK (score of 56): Tyler Eagan, Tyler Holck, Dan Shipton, Brian Steffen

Second place team hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim (score of 64): Jeff Blythe, Dave Bomgaars, Dave Iverson, Tom Wetzell

Third place team hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim (score of 64): Keith Bretey, Jeff OKones, Doug Quam, Justin Rustvold

Fourth place team hosted by NPPC (score of 66): Jack Bain, Craig Boelling, Doug Fricke, Kelly Sheets

First flight

First place team hosted by AMVC (score of 66): Steve Schmitz, Paul Thomas, Nick Weihs, Gavin Yager

Second place team hosted by Fast Genetics (score of 67): Darrell Neuberger, Kent Schwartz, Steve Sornsen, Jeff Zimmerman

Third place team hosted by Phibro Animal Health (score of 67): Mark Brinkman, Dennis Dwyer, Mark Rooney, Grant Weaver

Fourth place team hosted by Huvepharma and Aurora Pharmaceutical (score of 68): Jim Murray, Dale Oldenkamp, Chris Sparks, Mark Weaver

Second flight

First place team hosted by Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (score of 69): Eric Burrough, Drew Magstadt, Pablo Pineyro, Chris Rademacher

Second place team hosted by AMVC (score of 71): Josh Ellingson, Jason Hocker, Daryl Olsen, Ryan Saltzman

Third place team hosted by Iowa State University Swine Medicine Education Center (score of 86): Justin Brown, Anna Forseth, Heather Kittrell, Scott Radke

Individual contests

Hole #1, Closest to the pin, 2nd shot: Brian Steffen

Hole #8, Closest to the pin: Mark Brinkman

Hole #9, Longest putt: Brian Steffen

Hole #10, Longest drive: Mark Brinkman

Hole #10, Longest drive in fairway: Mark Weaver

Hole #16, Closest to the pin: Doug Quam

Hole #18, Longest putt: Nick Weihs

Photos by Kelly Boesch, courtesy of Andrew Kleis at Insight Wealth Group.