PURDUE    _,    ,
veterinary medical
mmmt
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 7
WINTER     SPRING 1978
HONORIS CAUSA
Dr. Christensen
Commencement at Purdue on 16 May 1978 was the
occasion for the awarding of an Honorary Doctor of
Science degree to Dr. George C. Christensen, upon
the recommendation of the faculty of the School of
Veterinary Medicine. A native of New York, Dr.
Christensen earned the D.V.M., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees
from Cornell University, was the first Head of the
Department of Veterinary Anatomy at Purdue University (1958-1963) and served as Dean of the College
of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University and
currently serves as Vice President for Academic Affairs
at that institution.
While contributing to the literature in the areas of
mammalian anatomy, cardiology, veterinary medical
education, and higher education, Dr. Christensen's most
significant scholarly writing is as co-author of the
textbook "Anatomy of the Dog" by M. S. Miller,
G. C. Christensen, and H. E. Evans (941 pages and
published by W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, in 1964,
the year after Dr. Christensen's tenure as Head of the
Veterinary   Anatomy   Department   at  Purdue), a basic
anatomical text used
by nearly all of the
veterinary medical
schools/colleges in the
world where English is
the language of instruction. He was the first
Head of the Depart-
. ment of Veterinary A-
*m j ^H^» natomy at Purdue join-
**S~~~~% I   ing the faculty the year
H,   ^B j0* 1 prior to  the  admission
h ^Hfeivik "' our ''lsl c'ass "'
S       ^flj  "^l^ professional  degree (D.
■    *   >» A Bk        V-M-) studcnts-    I'1 lnc
■^ - t!M        i5 years he served in
^^™ *' *^^^^^^^^^M this capacity he was
primarily responsible for assembling an outstanding
departmental faculty with strong emphasis on quality
instruction and research. His initial ideas and efforts
still arc evident today as this department enjoys both
national and international reputations and its advanced
degree students are eagerly sought by other schools
and colleges of veterinary medicine both in the United
States and in Canada. In 1963 while at Purdue he
earned a "Distinguished Teacher" award in the School
of Veterinary Medicine; he has chaired the Council on
Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association; he was a U. S. delegate to the World Association of
Anatomists meeting in Vienna in 1961 and to the
International Anatomical Nomenclature Commission in
Giessen in 1965; he was President (1963-64) of the
American Association of Veterinary Anatomists and
1st Vice-President (1963-65) of the World Association
of Veterinary Anatomists; he has represented the
Council on Research of the American Veterinary
Medical Association in Division of Medical Sciences,
National Academy of Sciences, National Research
Council; he has served as Chairman of the Council
on Academic Affairs and as a member of the Executive
Committee of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges; and in 1975 served as
Consultant to the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and was recognized with the Wilton Park Inter-
;   national Award (British).
:   Recognized nationally and internationally as an author-
i   ity  in  the field of veterinary anatomy he additionally
I   has made significant contributions in veterinary medical
i  education as professor, and later dean, of the nation's
j  oldest College of Veterinary Medicine (Iowa Stale University,  established  in   1879)  and on a broader educational basis and currently as Vice President for Academic
Affairs at Iowa State University.
/. /. Stockton
Students recognized for outstanding performance at the School's 16th Annual Honors and Awards Program are
(I to r) top row; Michael Peters, Rob Holl Jr., Michael Cook; middle row; Kenneth Gloyeske, Wesley Hildebrandt,
Jana Rygas, Dennis DeNicola;bottom row; Rebecca Stroh Poland, Nancy Langwith, Janice Mogan, Janice Mcintosh.
EMBRYO TRANSFER CAPABILITY
DEVELOPED IN LARGE ANIMAL CLINIC
On April 27, 1890 in Cambridge, England, Walter Heapc
achieved the first successful embryo transfer. Two 4-cell
embryos from an Angora doe rabbit were placed into a
Belgian hare that later gave birth to two Angora offspring. Since that time embryo transfer has experienced
cycles of popularity and has been associated most
closely with the dairy and exotic beef industries. Only
recently have the advantages of embryo transfer been
considered by the swine industry. Recent trends toward
closed herds and total confinement in swine production
make embryo transfer's advantages even more attractive.
Embryo transfer can be used for rapid genetic improvement in a herd. It is possible to obtain the entire lifetime production of a genetically superior sow in one
year. Optimistic estimates of up to 100 offspring in one
year from one sow have appeared in the recent literature. Older sows that can no longer carry a litter to term
or have lost their udderlines can still be used to produce
progeny through embryo transfer.  New genetic lines can
#
Fertilized 4-cell embryo.
be introduced into closed herds without ever having to
bring new animals into the herd. This would eliminate
the time and trouble involved with isolating and introducing new animals and it would also eliminate the fear
r
of bringing disease into the herd.  Embryo transfer might
be used to break the disease cycle and provide an avenue
for  genetic and  monetary    salvage    for    the
scedstock producer
whose herd has become
infected with bacterial
or viral diseases.
Several institutions a-
round the country are
currently involved in
research that will improve embryo transfer
techniques and more
clearly define embryo
transfer's advantages.
Advances have been
made in culturing and
freezing of embryos in
some species, in nonsurgical transfers, and
and recipient animals.
60 day old fetuses transferred at
the 4-cell stage.
in   synchronization   of   donor
The School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University
has recently developed the capability to do embryo
transfer in swine and is now in the process of initiating
research in the disease control aspects of embryo transfer. The Animal Science departments of the University
of Illinois and the University of Missouri have been
working with embryo transfer in swine for several
years. Many European countries arc also involved in
developing embryo transfer techniques. Embryo transfer has been done in swine on a commercial basis by
private practitioners in Illinois and Iowa as a routine
procedure for the last three years.
Even though there is still much work to be done in the
field of embryo transfer, it would appear that we can no
longer consider this area to be in the domain of the
future.   Embryo transfer's time has come.
Drs. Bolin and Runnels