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U.S. Livestock Industry at Risk because of Fewer Large Animal Vets

's livestock and meat industries have one of the world's best health and safety records, but that status may be threatened in the years ahead because of a severe projected shortage of food animal veterinarians, according to a comprehensive veterinary business study.

While projected demand for food supply veterinarians will increase a modest 12% to 13% between now and 2016, the research forecasts a shortfall of 4% to 5% per year. This means for every 100 food supply veterinary jobs available, there will be only 96 veterinarians available to fill them due to decreasing numbers of veterinary students choosing to practice in the fields in food supply specialties and socio- economic trends, including further declines in rural populations.

"With the American public more focused than ever on food safety and security, the role of the food animal veterinarian has never been more important," says Dr. Lyle Vogel with the American Veterinary Medicine Association. "Needless to say, we can't afford to have a shortage of large animal veterinarians. It would be catastrophic for the industry and for society."

Industry needs to raise profile of profession

"While job satisfaction and retention among new and long-time beef and dairy veterinarians is very high, the industry must do a better job of filling the pipeline if it expects to meet projected demand," says Dr. Cary Christensen, director of Business Development for Bayer Animal Health.

Christensen adds the study is a "mandate for change within the industry," he says. "We have to rally the industry in a way that raises the profile of the profession and attracts new students."

Veterinary students who switched to a career focus in food supply overwhelmingly says it was because they were exposed to information about the specialty in veterinary school. More than 70% of educators says the main reason veterinary students choose a food animal sequence today is because they are attracted to the rural lifestyle and the prospect of working with animals, while only 6% choose it because they can make a positive impact on agriculture or food production.

"Exposing veterinary students early in their careers to the science behind the food supply specialty and recruiting students who would love the rural lifestyle will be two important keys," says Rick Sibbel, director, Global Ruminant Technical Services for Schering Plough and chair of the coalition that conducted the study. "We have to reposition food animal veterinary science as an intellectually stimulating field that is of fundamental importance to society. We have to compete with city jobs. The lifestyle can be a bonus."

A high percentage of both recent graduates (78% of young beef veterinarians and 80% of young dairy veterinarians) and senior alumni (92% for both beef and dairy veterinarians) are satisfied with their jobs and 90% of both groups are proud of their profession.