Columbus, Neb., veterinarian Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham routinely makes use of science to enhance swine well being and manufacturing. That dedication to utilizing the scientific technique has earned her the 2025 Science in Follow Award, which will likely be offered on the Allen D. Leman Swine Convention in September.
Mainquist-Whigham serves because the director of well being at Pillen Household Farms and DNA Genetics, the place she oversees well being and biosecurity methods throughout their industrial and genetic sow models and downstream nursery-finish areas.
She finds quite a few alternatives to take a science-based method to her on a regular basis work. Examples embody making the most of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) introductions to judge herd closure methods, defining and understanding gilt improvement practices on the onset of estrus and estrus detection accuracy, and learning how break up suckling practices, or lack thereof, influence the livability and progress of pigs from delivery to market.
“I’m fortunate to have an built-in system to work with to grasp the total image,” Mainquist-Whigham stated, crediting Pillen Household Farms homeowners with persevering with her profession improvement. “Jim Pillen was there to push me as a younger vet, which was so vital for character constructing and toughness. And each Brock and Sarah Pillen have been actively
concerned in supporting and difficult me by means of my profession.”
In her opinion, science is making a brilliant future for the swine trade. “I believe we’ve got very refined and proficient individuals driving the trade at present, capitalizing on the information sharing and contributing to the development of present practices,” Mainquist-Whigham stated.
Whereas in veterinary faculty, Mainquist-Whigham was inspired to concurrently earn a grasp’s diploma, a problem that has paid off. She says the diploma helped broaden her thought processes on the right way to method drawback fixing, dive additional into inhabitants medication and epidemiology, and supply the ability set and confidence to learn to really feel assured in resolution making. Finishing a grasp’s additionally ready her to “defend” selections primarily based on knowledge and analysis.
“Christine’s observational expertise and dedication to discovering details moderately than ‘really feel items’ are what make her a wonderful veterinarian,” stated Montse Torremorell, professor and chair of the Division of Veterinary Inhabitants Drugs on the College of Minnesota. “These qualities exemplify what we try to honor with the Science in Follow Award. We’re proud to acknowledge Christine for her excellent work, generosity and humanity towards others within the trade.”
The Science in Follow Award is sponsored by Merck Animal Well being, an organization dedicated to serving to its prospects clear up swine illness and reproductive challenges to reinforce operational effectivity and enhance animal well being and well-being.
Mainquist-Whigham earned her Doctorate of Veterinary Drugs and grasp’s diploma in veterinary preventive medication in 2016 from Iowa State College. A local of Stanton, Iowa, she was raised on a farm with row crops and a cow/calf operation, which fostered her ardour for agriculture and science. She resides in Columbus along with her husband and two kids.
Mainquist-Whigham will obtain her award on Sept. 22 on the annual Leman Swine Convention in St. Paul. The convention is the trade’s premier well being and manufacturing administration convention.
June 10, 2025 – College of Minnesota
