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Inspired by Dr. Al Leman’s quote, “We’re just not making mistakes fast enough,” program chair Dr. Rebecca Robbins themed the meeting, “Fail Forward: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities.” Dr. Robbins said, “I chose this theme to reflect an essential truth of veterinary medicine: progress is rarely linear. Mistakes and setbacks are not roadblocks; they are pathways to deeper understanding, innovation, and better outcomes for pigs and their caretakers. Growth comes not from avoiding failure, but from learning through it, adapting quickly, and applying new insight in ways that strengthen evidence-based decision making and improve the effectiveness of our daily work.”
As reported during the annual AASV business meeting held March 3, the conference drew 985 total attendees, including 128 veterinary students from 26 universities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Spain. The total attendance also included 245 exhibit representatives from 93 companies and organizations, 4 media representatives, and 6 honored guests. Including the United States, 22 countries were represented; 15 percent of attendees came from outside of the United States. These preliminary numbers are yet to be confirmed.
Meeting participants benefited from the opportunity to learn from 211 speakers and poster presenters. The educational sessions included 10 preconference seminars, 2 general sessions, 3 concurrent sessions, Research Topics and Industrial Partners sessions, the Student Seminar, and a session featuring posters from students, researchers, and industrial partners.
Preconference seminars included topics about the practical use of technology, research design and interpretation, biosecurity, production issues, applied solutions for disease management, nutritional case explorations, and influenza A in swine. The Swine Medicine for Students preconference seminar was well attended by veterinary students. On Sunday morning, graduate students had the opportunity to compete for scholarships for the first time during the research topics session. On Sunday afternoon, veterinary students highlighted their research and experience to a large crowd during the Student Seminar.
The Dr. Max Rodibaugh Memorial Practice Tips preconference seminar was co-chaired by Drs. Cara Haden and Melissa Billing. New in 2026, presentations were judged by audience members. Dr. Jeff Harker’s presentation, “Unusual uses for common items on swine farms,” received the top prize, followed by Dr. Gabi Doughan’s “Water line royal flush: Winning strategies for water medication delivery,” and Dr. Jenna Scott’s “Tips on transitioning from school to practice, work-life balance, and burnout.”
During the Monday general session, speakers illustrated the “Fail Forward” theme by “normalizing challenges as part of professional growth, sharing evidence-driven lessons learned, and demonstrating how transparency and collaboration lead to improved pig health and welfare,” said Dr. Robbins.
Dr. Darin Madson, clinical professor and veterinary diagnostician at Iowa State University, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, opened the Monday general session with the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture. His presentation, “Diagnostic airballs: Reserve the right to learn,” explored diagnostic missteps that sharpen clinical judgment. “It’s not about getting it right, it’s about being wrong less,” he encouraged.
In his Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture titled “PRRS: Continuous learning and improvement by turning obstacles (and evidence) into opportunity,” Dr. Reid Phillips recounted PRRS challenges the have driven innovation. Envisioning a future without PRRS, he acknowledged failures, successes, and next steps. “Through the efforts of field applied research and continuous learning, we have overcome obstacles and turned them into opportunities. We have the tools and the knowledge. We have learned how to apply them in a systematic and coordinated process to improve our ability to control and eliminate PRRSV from farms, systems, and regions. The components of regional PRRSV control offer a framework for programs to mitigate its economic, health, and welfare impact.”
Citing Dr. Baysinger’s legacy, Dr. Emiline Sundman, postdoc research associate at Iowa State University, connected across the barnyard by inspiring swine veterinarians to turn obstacles into opportunities in her Angela Baysinger Memorial Lecture titled “The impaired animal on-farm: A vision for turning an animal welfare challenge into an animal welfare opportunity.” She challenged the audience to “reframe welfare challenges, such as impairment events, as opportunities to intentionally support individuals and reaffirm our commitment to their welfare.”
Dr. Robbins described the three Monday afternoon concurrent sessions as bringing the program theme to life by showcasing foundational and emerging approaches that promote animal health and welfare, strengthen veterinary leadership, and equip swine veterinarians to engage thoughtfully with evolving challenges. The sessions motivated attendees to think critically about disease elimination, individual pig care, and veterinary leadership through disruption. The Tuesday general session focused on reducing endemic diseases.
While education is a cornerstone for attendees, some of the most valuable takeaways from each annual meeting might be the personal and professional connections made outside of each session. In addition to the scientific sessions, innovative ideas and generous sponsorships allow the AASV to host professional and student social networking events, personal and professional development opportunities, self-care experiences, and receptions to celebrate and recognize student, peer, and mentor accomplishments.
Fourteen AASV committees met during the Annual Meeting to discuss important issues in swine health, public health, pig welfare, and membership services. Several universities hosted receptions for their collegiate alumni. Students met and mingled with peers and veterinarians during multiple student social events. Early morning risers joined together for breakfast, music, and fellowship at the annual praise breakfast. Ambitious attendees rose even earlier Sunday morning to start their day with yoga.
The AASV Foundation cosponsored the Monday luncheon with the AASV. Recipients of AASV Foundation-funded programs, including veterinary and graduate student scholarships, Alex Hogg Memorial Scholarships, Angela Baysinger Memorial Scholarships, Zoetis Foundation and Dr. Conrad and Judy Schmidt Family Student Debt Relief Scholarships, and research grants were announced. The Foundation also honored its newest Legacy Fund, Drs. Tim and Ruth Loula; Heritage fellow, Dr. Perry Harms; and new Leman fellows, Drs. Tim Overmiller and Matthew Turner.
The AASV Awards Reception was held Monday night, followed by the AASV Foundation’s annual fund-raising auction. Dr. Mike Senn, 2022 AASV president and 2026 AASV Awards Selection Committee chair, introduced the recipients of the Swine Practitioner of the Year Award (Dr. Brad Leuwerke), the Howard Dunne Memorial Award (Dr. Rick Sibbel), the Meritorious Service Award (Dr. Clayton Johnson), the Outstanding Swine Academic of the Year Award (Dr. Glen Almond), the Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year Award (Dr. Robyn Fleck), and the Young Swine Veterinarian of the Year Award (Dr. Elizabeth Noblett). The AASV Foundation awarded the Heritage Award to Dr. Joe Connor.
Save the date
The 2027 annual meeting will be held February 27-March 2 at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace in Orlando, Florida.
March 12, 2026 - American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV)
