Project aims to make rural practices more sustainable

A network of Texas A&M veterinarians wants to help make rural veterinary practices sustainable.

The group of Texas A&M AgriLife faculty is establishing the network to provide education and assistance for rural practices.

The project’s goal is to shift producer utilization of rural practitioners from a reactionary approach to an approach that focuses on comprehensive herd health. This way, veterinarians could help prevent metabolic, respiratory and reproductive diseases and become a greater asset to producers.

“We know livestock enterprises are major contributors to rural communities,” said veterinarian Tom Hairgrove, an AgriLife Extension Service cattle veterinary specialist. “We want to improve the communication and cooperation between the livestock industry and the veterinary profession to ultimately improve livestock health and economic sustainability for rural communities.”

Many rural large animal practices are operated by older veterinarians, and younger professionals are turning to pet care because it’s more lucrative, Hairgrove said. That could lead to a reduction of rural large animal practices.

Hairgrove will lead the project, titled “Improving the Sustainability of Rural Veterinarians Through Mentoring, Targeted Education, Telemedicine and Monitoring of Disease Syndromes.” It’s funded by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant.

“Veterinarians responding in a ‘fire engine’ manner simply is no longer practical,” Hairgrove said. “We need livestock producers to realize that veterinarians can contribute more to their operation profits if a comprehensive health management program is developed.”

More information is available in the announcement from Texas A&M.