Iowa State University Mourns the Unexpected Passing of Dr. Darrell Trampel, Longtime Poultry Extension Veterinarian and Diagnostician

 

Contacts
Dr. Patrick Halbur, College of Veterinary Medicine, (515) 294-6970 

September 2, 2014

We are very sad to report that Dr. Darrell Trampel passed away unexpectedly at his home on Sunday, August 31. Dr. Trampel was a Professor at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine (ISU CVM) where he served as the ISU Poultry Extension Veterinarian and Diagnostician for 32 years. Dr. Trampel earned his DVM from ISU in 1974 and his PhD in Pathology from the University of Georgia in 1979. He served as a poultry diagnostician at the University of Missouri for three years before being recruited to ISU in 1982. During his 32 years at ISU, Dr. Trampel had a substantial impact on the growth and success of Iowa’s poultry and game bird industries.

“Dr. Trampel was a remarkably talented pathologist and poultry diagnostician,” said Dr. Pat Halbur, professor and chair of the Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Department. “He provided world class diagnostic services to the Iowa and U.S. poultry and game bird industries through coordination of cases submitted to the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL).” He worked closely with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to lead the development and improvement of state-wide monitoring programs for several diseases such as avian influenza, pneumovirus, mycoplasmosis, Salmonella enteritidis and other problems as they arose.

Dr. Trampel took great pride in providing high quality educational programs for poultry producers and members of allied industries through the Iowa Egg Industry Symposium, National Egg Quality School, the Annual Iowa Area Turkey Meetings, the Pullorum Testing School and many other local and regional meetings for poultry producers. Dr. Trampel also served as the instructor for the Poultry Medicine and Disease Prevention course offered to veterinary and graduate students at the ISU CVM and also contributed lectures to several undergraduate courses. He also served as a reliable source of accurate information for the media on poultry diseases and food safety related questions.

Dr. Trampel was a nationally recognized collaborative researcher focusing much of his effort recently on developing plans for federal and state transport for movement of eggs and egg products from non-infected premises within an avian influenza control area (FAST Eggs Plan) and adapting this model to the needs of other industries (i.e., turkeys and dairy). Over his career he earned four patents and published over 75 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts. In many cases his research was related to answering questions or addressing gaps in knowledge identified in diagnostic cases submitted to the ISU VDL such as he was doing with his currently funded research on avian pneumovirus, avian hepatitis E virus, Avibacterium infection, focal duodenal necrosis and other projects.

Dr. Trampel served very effectively as the primary liaison between the college and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and State Veterinarian, the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, the Iowa Poultry Association, the Iowa Turkey Federation and others. He was instrumental in establishing practical rules and regulations governing control and eradication programs for poultry diseases.

“There is likely no one who knew more or cared more about the health and success of the Iowa poultry industry than Dr. Trampel,” according to Halbur. "He utilized his nationally renowned diagnostic pathology skills to provide the Iowa poultry industries with world class support in solving disease and production problems. Dr. Trampel’s cases were handled in a very personalized, professional and value-added manner. On the rare occasion he did not have the answer to a problem, he would utilize his extensive network of leaders in the global poultry scientific community to access the latest knowledge on topics of interest to Iowa veterinarians and producers. He will be profoundly missed."

"Dr. Trampel was outstanding at so many things, including being a trusted friend and colleague,” said Dr. Lisa Nolan, professor and Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "Our campus community, stakeholders, and I will truly miss Dr. Trampel.”

Please keep Dr. Trampel’s wife Christine and his children Rebecca and Christopher and their families in your thoughts and prayers.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, September 4, from 5-7 PM at Adams Funeral Home in Ames. Funeral services will be Friday, September 5, at 10:30 AM at CrossRoad Baptist Church in Ames. An obituary can be viewed at http://www.adamssoderstrum.com/obituaries/Darrell-Trampel/#!/Obituary.