July 11, 2006

Veterinarians in demand as livestock industry expands

As the livestock industry continues to grow, experts are worried there would not be enough veterinarians to monitor and eradicate the increasingly prevalent and swift-acting diseases of the industry. 

Not having enough food-animal practitioners in the field to detect diseases is a real vulnerability for the industry, said Mike Chaddock, of the Association of American Veterinary Colleges.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the need for livestock veterinarians is growing as much as 13 percent a year.

Officials said the Department of Agriculture, the nation's biggest employer of veterinarians, would be about 400 veterinarians short in the next few years if no recruiting efforts are made.

In the US, about 2,500 students a year graduate in the veterinary sciences, but less than 10 percent of them take up a career in the food-animal industry.

Bennie Osburn, dean of the veterinary school at the University of California, said the state is not producing enough veterinarians despite relatively lucrative salaries. Many can make as much as US$100,000 a year out of school, he added.

In Iowa, only a fifth of the Veterinary graduates this spring planned to devote their practice to large animals.

Experts said most graduates of veterinary schools are women who prefer small-animal practices, thus leading to the shortage. Another factor is the cost of education, which is prohibitive for most.