Animal Health ABS. Poultry Inspection 0 &MS. Veterinary Biologics A RS Animal Disease and Parasite Research ABS

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3 96192 I n this p a m p hlet y ou will fi nd EEO NTE NTS o A brief descri p tion ofthe various U De p artment ofa g riculture activities in which DVM s are em p lo y ed as veterinar y m edical o fi icers. 0 I nformation about the career o pp ort unities and Introduction Achievements Goals and Targets E mployment Opportunities Inspection Meat C &MS Animal Health ABS Poultry Inspection 0 &MS challen g es in veterinar y medicine tha t exist within the or g anization a nd about the advan ta g es ofem p lo y m ent in the F ederal civil service. Veterinar y m edical o fi icers in the De p a rtment ofa g riculture have an excellent o pp o rtunit y to Veterinary Biologics A RS Animal Disease and Parasite Research ABS Q ualifications and Advancement Hours of Duty Career Benefits Summer E mployment for Stu build successful rewardin g ca reers. I n consider dents in g t he advanta g es ofgovernment service do not overlook the satisfa ction to be derived from the knowled g e that y our work would contribute to Pub. This publication supersedes Misc. 727 Career Opportunities for the welfare ofthe entire N ation. A p p ointments V eterinarians in the Agricultural Re search S ervice. are based on q uali fi cat ions without re g a rd to é f fi ra ce sex creed color or national ori g in. Wa shin g t D.C. Rev ised July

4 a j N F O G z sr p v F r j - fi n z: G w y n T v v A H ur r i W T? fi s L w d - a J V v The Dep ar t ment of Agriculture has duc ts the meat and poultry inspection a wi de r ange of ac tivities concerned activi ties. These agencies have head wi th research and regula tory and con quarters in Washing ton D.C. B eltsv ille trol programs affec ting anim als. These and Hyattsv ille Md. activi ties are conduc ted by two agencies There are approximately vet o f t h e Depar t men t : A g r i c u l t u r a l e rin ari ans in the Department of Agri Research S ervice ( ABS ) and Consum er cul ture. They comprise one ofthe and Marketing S ervice ARS larges t single groups of professional adm inis ters progr ams in anim al disease employees in the Department. They and parasi te research animal health are stationed at laboratories field and veterinary biologics. C &MS con stations and in packing and processing

5 and plants at more than locations sumers. Those in private practice do an throughout the United S tates. Persons trained in veterinary medi cine find excellent opportunities for e fective j ob of keeping pace with new problems in animal disease. But those in public service have an added re s p o n successful careers under the civil serv sibilit y : To solve research problems and ice merit syst em in the Department of develop control techniques that require Agriculture. In this organization you the efforts of many people often in will find progressive policies sound different places Also. they are re s p o n personnel practices and a continuing sible for the solution of problems that interest in you as an individual. You fall naturally into the public domain will derive great personal satisfaction and. _o thers that must by law be in doing important work that is bene handled by public authorities. ficial to the general public. _ You will have many opportunities to make full P rogressive- minded men who show use of your knowledge innate ability initiative effectiveness and capacity and professional talents and to con for leadership% can be assured of advance tribute new accomplishments in your ment. W e are seeking young v et er i chosen field. narians with thes e qualities we B y guarding the health of livestock veteri n arians guard the health of con make every effort to assign them to geographical areas of their preference.

6 Ml. V ete rinary Medical Office rs in the ice of the serv Department of A g ri c ul t ure receive world w ide recognition for their past accomplishments and their current Cooperative State programs. Federal forces have successfully e radi Current activi ties of ve terinary med ical officers involve licensing tes ting and inspecting veterinary biologics % re search in animal diseases and parasites % and prevention control eradication and epidemiological s tudies of many dis c a t e d such serious diseases as bovine eases ofmaj or economic impor tance. p l e ur o p n e urno ni a foo t and- mouth dis ease vesicular exanthema cattle tick Some of the diseases under intensive s tudy and observation are fever screw worm and fow l plague. The disc overy by Governm ent scie n Brucellosis The cooperative S tate t is t s that Texas fever is caused by a Federal brucellosis program was in blood parasite spread by a cattle tick au g urat ed in In 1959 market was of maj or medical significance. knowledge that an intermediate host This cattle tes ting the collection of blood could spre ad an infectious disease from one animal to ano ther was a key to the conquest of malari a yellow fever from animals identified wi th a s tandard backtag was officially adop ted a as program At present more procedure. than 25 percent of the Nation s counties typhus and other insect borne hu m an have achieved certified brucellosis- free and animal disease. s tatus. More than 90 percent of the

7 counties have attained or surpassed modified certified area status. Tuberculosis The bovine tuberculosis breaks continue to occur in the United S When an outbreak occurs im tates. medi ate control measures are under ' AvianM y coplasmosis The c ausit agent iv e of chronic r espiratory disease of chickens and infectious sinusitis of eradication program started in 1917 taken to promptly eliminate it. Al turkeys w as identified in 1960 as and for fiscal year 1966 the infection was so reduced that the rate of reactors though these sporadic outbreaks con t inue to occur the barrier zone is M y co p lasm a g allise p t icum after the a ent had been studied for 24 g years. w as percent. successful. In 1961 and 1962 pilot control pro Screw- worms Native fertile screw Hog Cholera Under legi slation passed grams were begun in broiler chicken and worm populations continue to exist in by Congress in 1961 _a S tate- F ederal turkey fl ocks. In 1967 pilot eradication To prevent their entry into program was undertaken in 1962 to programs for primary breeder fl ocks were Mexico. the freed areas of the United S tates eradicate hog c ohle ra. Through redue extended to New York Georgia and a sterile fl y barrier zone has been tion of incidence elimination of out California. established along the United States breaks and protection against reinfe c E q u ine Piroplasmosis The disease w as Mexico border from the Gulf of Mexico tion present goals call for practical first reported in the United S tates in to the Pacifi c Ocean. This barrier zone eradication by 1969 and a hog cholera In 1962 conclusive evidence is miles long and extends from established that the tropical horse tick 300 to 500 miles into Mexico. An free Na t ion by Salmonellosis S ALMO N E L L A con D ermacentor nitens transmits Ba besia average of approximately 120 million t amina t ion of commercially prepared caballi infection. An active vector c on sexually sterile fl ies are released in this feed for livestock and poultry was first trol p ro g ram ' in F lorida is designed to barrier zone each week. However recognized in 1954 as a potential identify infected animals reduce vector because of the quantities of fertile screw- worm fl ies in Mexico and the capabilities of long distance migration disease hazard in the United S tates. In 1967 a voluntary cooperative S almonella control program with the pressures and release infected animals after chemotherapeutic T h e treatment. complement fixation tes t a practical of the screw- worm fl y sporadic out rendering indus try was initiated. laboratory aid to dia g nosis h as recently 6

8 bee n developed for this disease. Wholesomeness and clu nliness ofmeat and p ou ltry wodmts R ed- meat inspection b e g an in the Uni ted S tates in 1891 in order t o g ain acceptance for American meats in foreign markets. T h e ins p ec tion of live poultry began in 1926 in New York T h e firs t Federal in City. s p e c t io n of eviscerat ed poultry began in 1927 at the reques t of one of the soup manufac turin g companies that wanted to ship it to C s products S ince anada. then Department of Agriculture veter inarians have guided and developed an ins pection program that is accepted throu g hout the Uni te d S tates and in every country in the world. T hus the Ameri can farmer is as sured of a con A carcass is bein g exam ined b y a veterinar tinning market for his lives tock and poul try and the cons umer is as sured of wholes omenes s cleanlines s and free ins p e ctor to assure it s wholesomeness. N dom from diseas e of meat and poul try products prepared under Federal supervision.

9 THE EMPMYME NT EUPPQRIU NWUE SS The Department ofagriculture h as a constant need for young graduates in meat and meat food prepared under Federal supervision. V eterinarians in veterinary medicine. V eterinary med the meat inspection program examin e ical officer positions must be filled in order to combat outbreaks and poten tial outbreaks of animal disease to approximately 85 p ercent of all animals slaughtered comm ercially for food in the United S tates and this figure is conduct research for the control and increasing. Inspectors are employed in eradication of dl se ase s and to continue all establishments that prepare meat the vital j ob of protecting the Nation s food supply. The Department offers a wide choice of branches of veterinary science in meat food products for sale in or interstate or foreign All commerce. animals are inspected b efore slaugh ter and those that are unfit are condemned which to pursue a career. V eterinarians At the time of slaughter an examina are employed in Agricultural Research Service (ARS ) and Consumer and tion is made of every carcass and its viscera % only meat from healthy ani Marketin g S ervice (C &MS i. mals produced under sanitary condi ME AT fl its PE fit EO ii m fifif fl g tions can be used for food. Unfit meat is destroyed under the supervision of This activity employs the largest a veterinary medical officer. Meat food number of veterinarians. Its maj or task products also are inspected during prep is to assure the wholesomeness clean aration to insure sanitary handling lin e ss and freedom from disease of destruction of unfit products enforce

10 ment of measures for informative label mortem and s anit a t io n inspection that it. Through modern methods and pro in g and freedom from adulteration. assures the wholesomeness of over 8 6 c ed ure s and close cooperation with the The meat inspection act ivities which percen t of all poultry sold off farms. States and livestock and poultry in ar e of tremendous impor t ance to the This accoun ts for some 11 billion dust rie s the Division heal th of t h e Nation have been widely pounds annually. Plan ts preparing con acclaimed for their effectiveness in safe guarding consumers against unwhole foods such as frozen pies v e nie nc e ready dinners and o ther to- eat prod Conducts nationwide S tate- Federal cooperative programs for control and some meat and meat food produc ts. u c t s are also under the program. The eradication of animal diseases. The passing of the Whol esome Meat ve terinary poultry inspector has the S uppresses the spread of disease A c t in 1967 brough t even more pro teo opportunity to make broad application through interstate and international tion to t h e consumer. This act requires of his professional knowledge in assuring that meat and meat food products no t that the Nation s supply of poul try and movement of lives tock. Maintains an awareness of the overall inspected by the F ederal Government poultry products is derived from disease si tuation nationally and in meet F ederal standards. Oficials of the heal thy poul try processed under sani t ernat io nall y and the capability for F ederal meat inspection pro g ram work tary conditions free of any adulterating dealing with foreign animal diseases. closely wi th S tate offi cials in the substances and tru thfully labeled. Administers laws to insure humane im plementation of this act. The passage treatment of transported livestock of this act offers increased opportunities and certain laboratory animals. Also for veterin arians in the meat inspection program. More th an 5 50 veterinarians are employed in the poultry inspection The Animal Health Division believes the b est economic approach to lives tock or poul try diseases is to eradicate them. Preventing the introduction of foreign animal diseases and eradica ting those domestic dise ases that are of maj or administers the Laboratory Animal Welfare Ac t of This law was passed to protect pet owners from theft of pet animals and to assure that dogs cats and other laboratory animals receive uniformly humane program. Located in poul try processing economic signifi cance eliminate the care and treatment from animal plants throughou t the country they need for a continuous control program dealers and research personnel. supervise the an te- mortem post and the annual costs associated with m Carries ou t activities relating to ' the

11 collection and dissemination of disease morbidity and mortality for licensing and inspecting the pro duction of these veterinary biologics The Plum I ' sland Animal Disea se Laborat or y occupying an island of and testing them is that of the V e t the eastern end of the north fork of information. To maintain its level of excellence erinary Biologics Division. Its work Long Island N. Y. specializes in re and to provide con tinuing education for veterinarians on its rolls the Animal Health Division provides nu assures the users of these products of effective safe pure and properly labeled biologics. search to develop measures and tech niques for the diagnosis prevention control and eradication of highly m e ro us training programs. Graduate ed The V eterinary Biologics Division communicable foreign animal diseases uc a t io n as well as Division sponsored provides numerous training opportuni of p otential danger to this country. courses are available. S ome of the ties. Programs exist for both graduate The N ational Animal Dis ease La bora advanced courses Division veterinarians education and ARS sponsored courses. tor y at Ames Iowa is a center for find essential in their work include research to develop methods for pre veterinary p at h olo gy ac t e riolo gy mi AN UMM DHS E ASE AN. PARAS UT E v ent ion control and eradication of _ b crobiolo gy fl uorescent antibody micros highly communicable domestic ani copy immunology biostatistics vet erinary hygiene vital statistics bacterial identification parasitology epidemiology and veterinary science research. This Division administers a national program of fundamental and applied research on diseases and parasites that affect domestic animals bearing fur- animals raised in captivity and poultry to determine mode transmission of in mal diseases. The Belt sville P arasitolo g ical La bora tor at Beltsville conducts y Md. r e search o n internal and external para sites ofanimals. fe c t io us diseases and harmful parasites % The S outhwestern Veterinar y T oxicol More than licenses authorize and to develop improved diagnostic o gy and Livestock I nsects Resea rch the production of 23 9 differen t kinds of veterinary biologics that are used for the prevention diagnosis and vaccinal and other methods for their prevention eradication or The control. Division is organized into four maj or La borator at College y S tation Tex. performs research on the toxicological and pathological effects on livestock treatmen t of animals against a ppro xi laboratories and a number of field of chemicals used in control oflive mately 60 diseases. The responsibility stock and plant pests. laboratories. 10

12 Veterinar y p oultr y ins p ecto rs su p er vis e p os t mortem ins p e ction ofca rcasses and viscera. N T hese animals a re bein g d riven o ut ofa n air lock room at the Plum I sland Animal - of Disea se Laborator y just one ofseveral ste p s taken t o p r event the s p re ad c onta mina t ed air or mat erials t o out er areas. N V et erina r y me dical o fi c er s u p er vi ses di p Handlin g p atho g e nic or g ani sms under p in gfor shee p sc abies. BN X s afe and sterile c onditions. BN 33063

13 llfilflfififvffiftf fl fl iffi l tlfflt hfflflmg M0 ti Veterinary medical officer positions in the Department of Agriculture are The GS 9 grade is the lowest o p crating level for veterinarians in the in the competitive civil service. They Department of Agriculture. You can are classified into grades of the gen readily understand therefore that a eral schedule (GS ) according to difi veterinarian appointed to that grade culty and responsibility. To qualify for appointment the would be j ust starting on his career. Opportunities for advancement are applicant must have a degree from a quite favorable. Naturally your pro recognized veterinary college or uni versity. A newly graduated doctor of veterinary medicine who was a motion to higher grades will depend primarily on your performance. The opportunities exist % it is up to you to superior student may enter the Federal take advantage of them. The door to S ervice at the GS 11 level. Other new advancement will be open to you if graduates enter at GS 9 with o pp or you demonstrate pro g ressive attitude t unit y for promo tion to GS l l upon satisfactory completion of 6 months of productivity initiative and leader ship. This is a challenge. You know service and training. V eterinarians with whether you are equal to it. In plan 1 year of experience are appointed at ning your career think about this grade GS l l. Positions requiring re opportunity and the desirability of search experience or specialized knowl becoming associated with the Depart edge are filled at higher grade levels ment of Agriculture. depending primarily on qualifications E mployees receive within- grade of the applicants. salary increases at regular intervals. 12

14 Such promotio ns are given e ac h year for t h e firs t. thr ee s t eps of the grade each 2 y ears for the nex t three steps and one each 3 ye ars for the remaining steps. The Department of Agricul ture e n courages training and any type of development that will assist an em p lo y e e t e nt ial. in achieving his maximum p o Training is based on individual The re g ular workweek in the Federal employee needs. USDA affords a vari civil sen i ce is 40 ho urs. E mployees ety of training opportuni ties. These work 8 hours a day from Monday consist of withi n- service training train through Friday. If you ar e r e quired to in g in o ther agencies and training in work extra hours you rec ei v e addi colleges and universities. The training t io nal pay or compensatory time off. may be full time par t time on or off du ty day or evening or a combination E mployees observe eigh t national holidays each ye ar : New Year s D a y of these. The Government usually pays the costs of training. Washing to n s Bir thday Memorial D a y Independence D a y Labor D a y V e t E M % Liz. E V E erans D a y Thank sgiving D a y and E ach year employees earn annual Chris tmas. Wh en any of these falls on leave for vacation and o ther purposes S aturday or Sunday the holiday is as follows : Those with less than 3 years observed the preceding Friday or the of serv ice 13 days % those with 3 to 15 following Monday. New legislation des ignates Columbus D a y as a national years more 20 days % those with 15 years or 26 days. holiday and i t will be observed Annual leave may be taken in uni ts beginning in of 1 or more hours. Leave no t used m 13

15 a year may b e accumulated up to a entitles an employee to medical atten limi t of 3 0 days. G H Q fl E LJ J U - d /A VE E ach year you will earn 13 days of sick leave for use in case of serious tion hospitalization and compensa tion for loss of These benefits wages. are provided without cost to the em p lo y e e and are es pecially important to veterinarians because their duties some times involve hazards. L ife is available at low insurance. cost to time No medical full- employees. examination is The insurance required. is not mandatory bu t most employees take advantage of it to help provide illness and for medical or dental a p economic security for their families. p oint m en t s. Un u sed sick leave accu m ulat e without limit s and provides employees with financial protection for GRO U P HE ALT H ENS U RANG T h e amount of insurance is based on the individual s basic Minimum salary. cov erage is for employees whose periods of prolonged illness. S everal group health insurance plan s are available to all permanent full- time annual salary is or F the o r less. employee whose annual rate is and above the amount of annual rate veterinarians at low cost. The plans is rounded to the next higher plus If you are a member of the National ofl er coverage for hospital and surgical with an overall maximum c o v Guard or of the Reserves of the Army Air Force N av y or Marines you are entitled to military leave for training instruction and field exercises. A maxi benefi ts related in hospital benefits - and the payment for outpatient and clinical care and treatment prescribed drugs medicines and prosthetic de erage of For example an em p lo y e e earning is cov ered by of insurance. T h e cost of the insurance to the mum of15 calendar days is allowed v ices. The cost of insurance depends on employee is approximately 2754 cents each year with full pay and without the type of plan selected and the c c v per of insurance which is de charge against annual erage desired. The F ederal Government ducted biweekly from his pay. The leave. shares the cost of the group health insurance wi th each veterinarian elect F ederal Government contributes a p proximately half as much as do em ing to participate in this program. The employees hav e the p lo y e e s. Most remainder of the cost is collected option of purchasing additional A service- connected illness or injury through payroll deductions. insur ance at a slightly higher cost.

16 fr l stiff l j % v 3 T i % t The Federal civil service retirement system is sound and attractive. I t is you have had 5 or more years of service. one of the outstanding advan tages of 4. You may retire on an annuity as Federal employm ent. You should con de s cribed below ) regardless of age after sider it seriously when you plan a career in veterinary medicine. 5 or more years of service if you become to tally disabled for useful and efficient ser vice. S o me of the highlights of the retire 5. You must retire at a g e 70 after ment system are summ arized below : 15 or more years of service and you may retire on full annuity at 1. You any time after a g e 5 5 provid ed you 6. If will receive full annui ty. you leave Federal Governmen t have h ad 3 0 or more years of service. service after 5 years and before b e c o m 2. You may retire on full annuity at in g eligible for retiremen t you will be any time af ter the a g e of 60 provided entitl ed to an annuity when you reach you have h ad 20 or more years of the age of 62. You may elect to re ceive service. a refund of your retirement deductions 3. You may retire on full annui ty at and accrued interest in lieu of a fu ture any time after the age of 62 provided annuity. If you leave before completing 15

17 5 years of service you will receive the amount depends on your average salary no widow or dependent children the refund since you will not be eligi ble and number of years of service. In refund consisting of his retirement de for a future annuity. case of disability retirement the mini duc t ions and accrued interest is paid to 7. The amount of annuity excep tfer mum annuity payable is the lesser of his designated beneficiary. disability retirement is computed by the following : 4 0 percent of average 9. E mployees and the Go v ernment taking the following percentages of the salary for the 5 highest consecu tive contribu te j ointly to the retirement average salary for the 5 highest conse c years or the amount of annuity (as Your share would be 6% percent fund. utive years multiplying the results by computed under the general formula of your salary % this amount is auto the number of years of service indicated given above) that the employee would m atic all y deducted from each pay. below and adding the totals so obtained : have received at age 60 had he re This information gives you an i dea of l it percent of average salary multi mained in the service until then. An the advantages of the F ederal retire plied by first 5 years of service. annuity larger than the minimum for ment system. The deductions are an 1% percent of average salary multi plied by next 5 years ofservice. 2 percent of average salary multiplied disability retirement is p ayable if it has been actually earned by the employee in accordance with the general formula excellent investment % you may under stand this better b y comparing the cost of annuities of standard insurance by all remaining years of service. giv en. This retirement plan assures you firms. In no case may the annuity exceed If an employee dies after he has of a regular income for yourself and percent of the average salary. Table 1 completed 5 years of ser v ice or more his your family during the later years of shows the amount of annuity that you widow and/or dependent children are Think carefully about it when you life. can receive under this formula % the eligible for annuity benefits. If he leaves plan your career as a veterinarian. 16

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19 E ach summer the Department of narians and ob taining practical e x ifthe opportunity is presented. Learn Agriculture employs a substantial num b er of students who have completed the j unior year at veterinary college. GS The students are paid a grade 7 p eri enc e and first - hand information. Before the end of the school year representative of the Department will furnish information to j unior s tudents a for yourself that Government service o fers attractive careers in eterinary v medicine and is a challenge to your technical training salary. S tudents are given the o pp o r ab out the activities and locations avail t unit y of assisting experienced v e t eri able. Take one of these summer j obs m WHE RE T0fiET Abbii lfl ifl hi lflwfl liffififv As a part of its recruitment program colleges in the United States. These careers in the U S. Department of for veterinarians the Department of recruitment representatives meet with Agriculture and to furnish complete Agriculture maintains a network of college recruitment representatives who themselves are veterinarians located at or near all of the veterin ary the senior and j unior classes in veter inar medicine each year to explain in y detail to members of the graduating classes the opportunities for rewarding information to members of the junior classes on the program for their summer employment as veterinary trainees.

20 For information on Meat I ns p ect ion For information on Animal Disease and and P o ult r y I ns p e ction wri te to : P ara sit e Research Animal Health and Personnel Division V eterinar y Bio lo g ics write to : Consumer and Marketing Service Personnel Division U S. D epartment of Agricul ture Agricultural Research Service 53 6 S ou th Clark Street U S. D epar tment of Agriculture Chica g o Ill Federal Center Building Hyattsville Md U. S. GO V W T PRIN T hn O Q F F fi E : f