Chris King, dvm The Role of Veterinarians in a Changing Dairy industry Chris King, dvm Fancy Farm, KY Murray State University 1996 Auburn University 2000 Valley Vets 2000-Present Coworker with Dr. Schneider 2000-2004 Valley veterinarians, inc. 14 Vet practice in San Joaquin Valley Specializing in Dairy Herd Health for 40 years Birthplace of Dairy Comp 305 Wide range of services: medicine, surgery, herd health monitoring, dairy management consulting Four Lab Techs & 1 Vet technician objective VVI website www.valleyvets.com To provide food animal veterinary students with a brief overview of large herd dairy practice and discuss developing issues facing the industry that will affect the future graduate. 1
Herd Health checks Pregnancy diagnosis: cows & heifers Monitoring programs Employee training/follow thru Brucellosis vaccinations Calf ranch Emergency calls Obstetrics: fetotomies & C-sections LDA sx., RDA, RTA, etc. Bleeders Prolapse repairs Afternoon Flexibility: Consultative Work Dairy visits Calf ranch visits PM Appointments Trials Office management/personnel Night Emergency Duty Vet Interests/practice development Associate Vet meetings Drug sales, orders, deliveries Dairy schools & Spanish Lecture Series 2
Regulatory work Practice Development Health Certificates Inspection, tattoo verification, point of origin ids (RFIDs) Tuberculosis testing Brucellosis testing BLV and Blue tongue (Mexico, Turkey) Specific Development of vet interests to grow/benefit the practice and generate revenue Trials & dairy management (Artesia Dairy) Communications (Newsletter, website) Schools (hoof, maternity barn, hospital, milker, fresh cow, herdsmen luncheon) Veterinary Technician usage Drug sales Drug sales Become a strong revenue stream Direct monitoring of drug use on dairies Full service, competitive prices Identifies deficiencies on dairies, problem areas(ex: mastitis, fresh cow/transitioning) Helps involvement if a residue arises (DRAP) Develop our own products (7% iodine, Doc Banals, fluids) 3
Externships students skill sets Paying back to the profession Providing practical dairy vet experiences Booked thru 2014 Students better prepared than ever most credit experiences away from campus IBVEP, VMTRC, D-PIKE, Pfizer Summer Internship, private practice pairings Serves practice in discovering potential graduates to hire What do we expect from our externs and graduating seniors a great attitude, willingness to get better, ability to communicate well. some familiarity with records (DC305) palpation and/or ultrasound skill interest in dairy production Western University CVM Preceptor Rotations? develop teaching protocols and educate revenue stream per student What factors will the future dairy Veterinarian Face? Consolidation Consolidation Consumer Demands Food Safety Global & Domestic Purchasing Markets Training of Vet Students Fewer but larger farms Increased feed costs, decreased milk price = narrow margins Dairies must take on a more cut throat business model Herd numbers dictate the demand for vet services Larger farms have better trained staff to provide vet services Herd size averages double every 10 years Comparison of demographic populations MN 6th in milk production 500,000 cows 7,200 dairies (68 cows/herd) 200 AABP members 2,500 cows/vet ID 5th in milk production 380,000 cows 950 dairies (400 cows/herd) 60 AABP members 6,500 cows/vet 1 Despite the currently perceived shortage of practicing veterinarians, the real need for dairy practitioners serving in traditional roles in the U.S. dairy industry is likely to decline rapidly over the decade. The key issue facing the profession may not be the number of veterinarians available to serve the dairy industry, but rather what roles will they play and whether they are suited to the roles the industry needs. 1 4
consumer demands Food safety Wholesome, safe, affordable product Variety Transparency Assurances about welfare of animals & environment Natural and drug residue free BSE, Foot & Mouth, etc. Biosecurity/Bioterrorism using a mixed model ex: FMD=1hr undiagnosed, losses exceeded $2 million in CA 2 Antibiotics residue avoidance emerging resistance to antibiotics (ex: e.coli & salmonella) Global & domestic market demands Production methods must become more & more efficient to meet quality standards and produce cheap food Milk creamery co-ops (regional & national) Further pressure to lower SCC Exports of Agriculture products Hay, corn, wheat weakened US dollar Education of veterinary students Continued decreasing interests in food animal practice Must be a change in training from traditional practice to newer areas of food system management schemes Dairy production medicine Regulations (environment, welfare, DRAP) Epidemiology Public Health Small animal curriculum resistant to opening space for topics I believe that the future belongs to the full service local practitioner, who can provide the routine and emergency services that producers will continue to need, while acting as the coach to the team of dairy workers. 3 -Walter Guterbock, DVM, MS the question is not whether services are needed. it is whether veterinarians will keep driving past those opportunities [on the way] to rectal palpation appointments and emergency calls. 3 -walter Guterbock, dvm,ms 5
what of the future what to do with all these heifers? Practices need to be more professional Have marketing and communication strategies Ensure education and training programs in new developments The result will be a new professional practices, which deal with animal health, animal welfare, milk production, milk and milk processing quality, food safety, public health, and related environmental issues. 4 Sexed semen has produced excess heifers Dairies have increased culling rates to utilize heifers Heifer values down considerably at sale barns Extra heifers costing dairymen more money to raise at calf ranches where s the beef increasing feed prices Even with high feed costs, milk is in excess Less bull calves born, increased value ($200+ bull calves vs $135 heifer calves) Bull bred herds having difficulty finding breeding bulls Harris Ranch now spaying heifers for feeding purposes $1.60/lb heifers vs. $1.90/lb steers Exports to Middle East & China (hay) Jaded farmers replanting hayfields with permanent plantings (almonds, walnuts, etc.) Dairies are now doing all the farming themselves as consolidation continues Continued creative feeding of by-products and newer feedstuffs (brown mid-rib silages) milk, milk, milk Will hasten the exit of smaller, less efficient herds - Banks will begin to foreclose on herds when beef price is strong Land O Lakes now enforcing base - 6% reduction in milk production - Penalty of $10.00/cwt CDI, DFA, Security all enforcing base Dairies are limit feeding cows to produce less milk - Trying to keep cow numbers, should base enforcement relax Beef price dropping as dairies step up culling to reduce milk flow 6
animal welfare references Vets must be proactive in raising awareness Create and implement SOPS on dairies (Spanish) discover deficiencies educate workers increase communication Euthanasia training designate a point man provide proper equipment Emphasize colostrum, downers, and euthanasia 1. Fetrow J, et al: Dairy production Medicine in the United States Bovine Practitioner, Vol. 38, June 2004. 2. Henry, E. CDFA. Foot and Mouth Outlook in CA. Economics & Epidemiology. 3. Guterbock, W. :What I ve Learned About Veterinary Medicine Since Becoming a Dairyman. WSU website posting. 4. Noordhuizen, J. :Changes in the Veterinary Management of Dairy Cattle: Threats or Opportunities? Veterinary Sciences Tomorrow. May 15, 2001. 7