After receiving his PhD at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Fernando Leite is now working as Technical Manager for Enterics at Boehringer Ingelheim, based in Duluth, Georgia. Updated contact information for Dr. Leite is available at www.aasv.org/members/only/directory.php. Are you on the move? If so, let us know at aasv@aasv.org.
Monthly Archives: December 2018
Got Photos?
Do you have an interesting photo featuring pigs or modern pig production? Consider submitting your image for potential publication on the front or back cover of the Journal of Swine Health and Production! We are always looking for quality images of healthy pigs and modern production facilities.
End of Year Giving? Consider the AASV Foundation
As you consider options for year-end giving, keep the AASV Foundation in mind. The AASV Foundation is striving to raise $2 million by AASV’s 50th anniversary in order to improve its long-term effectiveness in fulfilling its mission. The AASV Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and contributions are tax deductible. Members may submit contributions to the Foundation’s general fund on the AASV membership renewal form, or by making a cash contribution to the foundation auction (see www.aasv.org/foundation/2019/auctionlist.php). Additionally, the Leman, Heritage, and Legacy programs form a trio of options for supporting the foundation endowed funds (the funds invested to provide a perpetual source of income) at a variety of giving levels, enabling swine veterinarians at every stage of their careers to contribute to the foundation’s success.
Secretary Perdue Announces New OneUSDA Internship Program
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has announced the “OneUSDA Internship” opportunity for Summer 2019. As part of the Federal Pathways Program, the OneUSDA Internship will provide students a way to explore serving their country through a career in government while gaining work experience in agriculture, natural resources, rural development, and other career fields. [Source: USDA, December 4, 2018]
Iowa State University to Lead Research to Increase Pig Survivability
A research project led by the Iowa Pork Industry Center at Iowa State University seeks to increase pork producers’ profits by improving the survivability of their animals. [Source: Iowa State University, December 7, 2018]
Government of Canada Helps Improve Swine Health Surveillance
Canada’s hog sector, which includes over 8000 hog farms, is a key driver of the Canadian economy, accounting for $4.5 billion in farm receipts and $4 billion in pork exports in 2017. [Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, December 12, 2018]
Global Veterinary Organizations Issue Joint Statement Against Antimicrobial Resistance
As the fight against antimicrobial resistance continues, veterinarians from around the world are uniting to ensure best practice is in place. [Source: Veterinary Practice News, December 7, 2018]
Genetically Modified Pigs are Protected from Classical Swine Fever Virus
Classical swine fever (CSF) caused by classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is one of the most detrimental diseases, and leads to significant economic losses in the swine industry. Despite efforts by many government authorities to stamp out the disease from national pig populations, the disease remains widespread. Here, antiviral small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) were selected and then inserted at the porcine Rosa26 (pRosa26) locus via a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knock-in strategy. Finally, anti-CSFV transgenic (TG) pigs were produced by somatic nuclear transfer (SCNT). Notably, in vitro and in vivo viral challenge assays further demonstrated that these TG pigs could effectively limit the replication of CSFV and reduce CSFV-associated clinical signs and mortality, and disease resistance could be stably transmitted to the F1-generation. Altogether, our work demonstrated that RNA interference (RNAi) technology combining CRISPR/Cas9 technology offered the possibility to produce TG animal with improved resistance to viral infection. The use of these TG pigs can reduce CSF-related economic losses and this antiviral strategy may be useful for future antiviral research. Xie Z, Pang D, Yuan H, Jiao H, Lu C, Wang K, et al. (2018) Genetically modified pigs are protected from classical swine fever virus. PLoS Pathog 14(12): e1007193. Click here to read the entire article.
Costco Updates Animal Welfare Policy
Club store operator Costco Wholesale updated the company’s animal welfare policy to include its commitment to restricting the use of antibiotics that are medically important to humans. [Source: Meat & Poultry, December 7, 2018, by Erica Shaffer]
Holiday Hours
In observance of the New Year’s holiday, the AASV office will close at noon on December 31 and reopen January 2. Here’s wishing you a happy and prosperous New Year!