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Dr. Aulerich Retires from Michigan State University
By James Oldfield, Ph.D.
RESPECTED FUR ANIMAL researcher Dr. R.A."Dick" Aulerich retired in May 2001 after a prolific and distinguished career with Michigan State University (MSU).
Aulerich began his research career in 1962 as a technician in the Fur Animal Project, which was then in MSU’s Poultry Department. His career highlights included helping indentify the levels of PCB contamination in wild mink and otter in the Great Lakes region. This work was almost destroyed in 1992 by an animal rights arsonist, but the damage was repaired and Aulerich continued his work while the arsonist went to jail.
Aulerich’s doctoral thesis was on "wet belly disease" in mink, and upon the retirement of Poultry Division director Dr. Schaible, Aulerich took over the program and has headed it ever since. He was promoted to full professor in 1979, and has served as Associate Chairman of the Animal Sciences Department since 1992.
When Aulerich took over the Fur Animal Research Program, the facilities for fur animal research consisted of a small service building and about 200 outdoor mink cages. In 1968, the Fur Animal Project was relocated and expanded. Following additions and renovations over the years, the present Experimental Fur Farm can accommodate over 1,000 research animals, and has two containment rooms designed for conducting studies involving toxic or hazardous substances.
Early mink research conducted by Aulerich and his associates consisted primarily of nutritional studies focusing on the nutrient requirements of mink and development of dry diets for mink. Research was also conducted on the application of controlled photoperiodicity on the regulation of reproduction and furring cycles in mink.
While investigating problems of impaired reproduction in mink fed certain Great Lakes fish, it was found that mink were extremely sensitive to many environmental contaminants, especially PCBs, PBBs, and dioxins. The use of mink as an animal model for investigating the mechanisms of toxicity and in characterizing the effects of these and other chemicals on animals has led to recognition of the mink as a preferred animal model for toxicological testing by the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Academy of Sciences. The results of these toxicological studies with mink by Aulerich and his colleagues have been instrumental in establishing water quality standards in the US and other countries, as well as in determining residue-tolerance levels for many environmental contaminants.
More recent studies have examined the effects of mycotoxins (metabolites of molds that can contaminate mink feed ingredients) on mink production, methods (such as composting) for disposal of mink wastes, chemical preservation of mink feed and feed ingredients, and processing techniques for animal products used for feeding mink. Many of these studies have been supported by the Mink Farmers Research Foundation, which is now Fur Commission USA’s Research Committee.
Aulerich is recognized as one of the most productive scientists in fur animal research. He has served as the major professor for 14 MS and five PhD students, and has helped guide 26 other graduate students who conducted experiments at the fur farm.
In his career at MSU, Aulerich has served as the University Coordinator for Animal Research and was the chair of the All University Committee on Animal Use and Care for several years. For his accomplishments, he received the "Excellence Award for Interdisciplinary Scholarship" from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, and was presented the "Senior Meritorious Faculty Award" from the Michigan Chapter of Sigma Xi, the Research Society. The Michigan State Rabbit Breeders Association also recognized his many contributions to the rabbit industry by awarding him their "Distinguished Service Award".
We thank Dr. Aulerich for his contributions to the fur industry, and wish him well in his retirement.
For further information contact: Teresa Platt, Executive Director, Fur Commission USA, PMB 506, 826 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118-2698 USA, (619) 575-0139, (619) 575-5578/fax, furfarmers@aol.com, www.furcommission.com.
To take a cyber-tour of a fur farm, visit Fur Commission USA's Fur on Film at http://www.furcommission.com/video/index.htm