Nebraska veterinarian to receive top swine award

May 01, 2023

Dr. Tom Petznick, a swine veterinarian based in Omaha, NE will receive the 2023 Science in Practice award at the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference in September, according to a University of Minnesota press release. For over 25 years Petznick has successfully met client needs through a balance of science-based and practical approaches to livestock health. His tireless efforts led to recognition of the widespread and largely unknown role of sapovirus in pig production systems. Also, his expertise in managing purebred sows has made him an in-demand consulting swine veterinarian.

Petznick is respected as a thought leader in porcine sapovirus (PSaV), a calicivirus that has been detected in pigs with and without diarrhea. A PSaV infection is difficult to differentiate from other enteric diseases based on clinical signs alone. PSaV has been found as the sole pathogen involved in diarrhea cases, but more commonly is found in coinfection scenarios.

The scarcity of epidemiological understanding of PSaV motivated Petznick to partner with state diagnostic laboratories to identify PSaV as the causative agent in numerous cases. He also worked with prescription vaccine platforms to develop novel vaccine strategies for his affected clients.

Click here to see more...

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.