Three outstanding research proposals were honored with Awards for Advancing Research in Respiratory Disease (AWARRD) at the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga., on Monday. This program provides more than $100,000 each year for research relating to infectious porcine respiratory diseases. The winners received $35,000 each from Boehringer Ingelheim, the sponsor of the awards.
The Respiratory Disease Research Board, consisting of seven independent swine veterinarians and researchers, reviewed several exceptional proposals before making their final decision, according to a company release. This year’s recipients will focus on research related to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhp) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).
“Despite tremendous progress, respiratory diseases continue to pose significant challenges for swine producers and veterinarians, particularly PRRS and Mhp,” Darin Madson, DVM, a JBS veterinarian and Respiratory Disease Research Board member, said in the release. “Each of the proposals we selected for funding this year seeks to continue that progress by investigating key questions related to the control and diagnosis of these diseases.”
The winners of the 2020 AWARRDs include:
Beatriz Garcia Morante, DVM, MS, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• “Taking the first steps towards the improvement of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae sequencing”
Cesar A. Corzo, DVM, MSc, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• “Farm level factors associated with PRRSv shedding status in near-to-market pigs”
Brandi Burton, DVM, Suidae Health & Production, Algona, Iowa
• “Determining the minimum infectious dose of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae using diluted pooled tracheal sample fluid as an inoculum administered intratracheally”
“The ultimate goal of the AWARRD program is to fund field-applicable research that can deliver game-changing answers to key questions in the field,” Reid Philips, DVM, PRRS technical manager, Boehringer Ingelheim, said in a company release. “We’re proud to be a part of a collaborative effort that has led to a better understanding of how to manage and control porcine respiratory diseases, and ultimately improve the health of pigs.”
The Respiratory Disease Research Board also granted research completion awards to the following researchers for completing past projects funded by the program:
Juan Sanhueza, DVM, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• “Evaluation of parity as a delaying factor to reach PRRSv stability in sow farms”
Jordan Graham, DVM, MS, Swine Vet Center, St. Peter, Minnesota
• “Effect of vaccinating pigs with both a modified-live PRRS and Influenza vaccine on the severity of respiratory disease when administered a simultaneous co-infection with PRRSv and IAV”
Since the AWARRD program’s inception more than 15 years ago, Boehringer Ingelheim has provided more than $1.4 million in support of the development of less costly, innovative diagnostic testing and sampling processes; identified more effective biosecurity practices; sought to better understand respiratory diseases; and developed risk assessment tools, intervention programs and vaccination strategies, the release said.
Applications for 2021 will be open for submission in late 2020. For more information, visit swineresearchawards.com.
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