No abstract

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of a staged market pig loading procedure for reducing contaminant transfer from livestock trailers to the barn. Materials and methods: A conventional loading procedure was compared to a staged procedure, with 10 replicates each. In the staged procedure, one loadout crew member was stationed between two lines of separation and could not cross onto the livestock trailer or into the center alleyway of the barn. The remaining loadout crew members within the barn could not cross into the loadout alleyway or chute. In the conventional procedure, a loadout crew member moved pigs from the center alleyway, through the loadout alleyway, and up the chute, but did not cross onto the livestock trailer. Fluorescent powder was mixed with obstetrical lubricant and wood shavings and spread evenly on the livestock trailer floor, just inside the roll-up door that opens to the chute. After each loadout, fluorescent powder contamination was evaluated at 8 locations: one in the chute, two in the loadout alleyway, and five in the center alleyway of the barn. Results: Four of five center alleyway locations had significantly lower contamination (P < .05) for the staged protocol compared to the conventional protocol. The level of contamination at the fifth center alleyway location was not statistically different (P = .057). The contamination level at all other locations was not statistically significant between the two groups (P > .05). Implications: The staged loading procedure effectively reduced the transfer of fluorescent powder from the livestock trailer to the barn.

for their assistance on my research projects. I could not have completed my research projects without their wonderful help.I would like to thank my parents, Mark and Lisa Ruston, and my sisters, Adelaide and Madison Ruston, for their continuous support of my career goals. I would not have been able to accomplish this work without their love, support and guidance throughout my life. I would also like to thank my soon-to-be family, the Steckelbergs, for being my family away from home, here in Iowa, and supporting me through my research studies. I would also like to thank the Figurelle family, for all the great laughs and "pep" talks as I strived to work towards my career goals.Finally, I would like to thank my fiancé, Joel, for all his patience and love through my research studies and coursework. Your support has made this process much easier and enjoyable.

OBJECTIVE To develop and evaluate a pyramid training method for teaching techniques for collection of diagnostic samples from swine. DESIGN Experimental trial. SAMPLE 45 veterinary students. PROCEDURES Participants went through a preinstruction assessment to determine their familiarity with the equipment needed and techniques used to collect samples of blood, nasal secretions, feces, and oral fluid from pigs. Participants were then shown a series of videos illustrating the correct equipment and techniques for collecting samples and were provided hands-on pyramid-based instruction wherein a single swine veterinarian trained 2 or 3 participants on each of the techniques and each of those participants, in turn, trained additional participants. Additional assessments were performed after the instruction was completed. RESULTS Following the instruction phase, percentages of participants able to collect adequate samples of blood, nasal secretions, feces, and oral fluid increased, as did scores on a written quiz assessing participants' ability to identify the correct equipment, positioning, and procedures for collection of samples. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that the pyramid training method may be a feasible way to rapidly increase diagnostic sampling capacity during an emergency veterinary response to a swine disease outbreak.

No abstract