State/Territory
New Mexico
Shortage Location - Must Serve
Apache County (South of I40) in AZ and McKinley County in NM
Shortage Location - May Serve
Navajo County in AZ
Location Center
St. Johns, AZ 85936
VSGP Status
Open
VMLRP Status
(Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program)
Open
Priority of shortage
Critical
Fiscal year
Percent FTE
(Full Time Equivalent, based on a 40hr work week.)
30
Type of Shortage
(Veterinary Practice Area / Discipline / Specialty)
Type II Shortage: Private Practice – Rural Area Food Animal Medicine
Must serve
Beef Cattle
Other Must Serve
May serve
Dairy Cattle
Swine
Poultry
Small Ruminant
Other May Serve
Equine
Employer
Position Title
Other disciplinary area
Carry Over
Nominator Name
David Byerly, DVM
Nominator Title
Assistant State Veterinarian
Nominator Org
AZ Dept of Agriculture
Nominator Email
Nominator Phone
602-708-0932
Importance/Objectives of Veterinarian
Apache county hosts 40k cattle, 70k sheep, and 25k goats, mostly pastured across 6,000 square miles in the southern half. Similarly, 22k cattle and 34k small ruminants are spread across 5,500 square miles in McKinley county. This area also has a significant equine inventory. Population density is 6 people per square mile. A single veterinarian currently provides livestock services in Apache county. The region, which includes Navajo and Apache reservations, increasingly suffers from lack of veterinary coverage, placing increasing pressure on a few veterinarians to provide emergency and general veterinary medicine with potential animal care and welfare consequences and failure to identify and control parasites and pathogens circulating locally leading to outward expansion of economically important diseases. One of Arizona's six auction markets is just across the county line in Navajo county which has difficulty obtaining veterinary services to maintain operations.
Veterinarian Medical Activities & Services
Expected services include: livestock preventive herd health; reproduction, disease and plant poisoning investigations; and disaster response. This region has large cattle ranches and covers significant portions of the Navajo reservation. Seasonal activities include: dystocia, breeding soundness examinations, Trichomoniasis testing, parasite control, pregnancy testing, TB testing, regulatory and herd health vaccinations and completing certificates of veterinary inspection for interstate animal movement. Off season activities may include: hobby, exhibition and small holder sheep, goat, swine, poultry, and equine veterinary services, and support of 4H/FFA local fairs and activities. Mentoring of youth in agriculture and pre-veterinary students in the community is encouraged. This position could also expect 6-8 hours per week employment at the regional livestock auction market.
Historical Efforts of Recruiting/Retaining a Veterinarian
Veterinary recruitment to the region has not historically been an issue due to the climate and presence of two veterinary schools, however, retention of veterinarians is a concern based on driving distance between calls. The few large animal veterinarians in the area can travel 100 miles one way to an emergency, making it difficult for a practitioner to earn a salary commensurate to the level of student debt. In addition producers in the area struggle to pay for preventive services. On average, veterinarians stay for one to two years. Currently, the few large animal vets are of retirement age and in high demand to cover the volume of livestock in rural areas and tribal lands. NM has listed McKinley County as a shortage area since 2019. AZ has listed Apache county since 2014. Veterinarians hired by NTU technology program have stayed for 1-2 years before moving on.
Consequences of Not Securing/Retaining a Veterinarian
This already under-served region faces increasingly critical animal health services shortage as practitioners retire and rapid turnover of recruited professionals, forcing producers to forgo veterinary assistance or seek services a greater distance from home. The few food animal veterinarians in the region are tasked with covering an area of over 15,000 square miles. If this position is left unsecured, without consistent veterinary preventive care and herd management services, the livestock producers may be less competitive in local markets. This area services clients from the Navajo and Apache reservations allowing the veterinarians to observe and treat diseases that may be circulating on tribal lands that are not under the purview of the state. Without livestock market support, animal owners would have to transport animals extensive distances increasing animal welfare concerns and costs to area producers.
Community Aspects
The beauty of this region is undisputed. Outdoor enthusiasts will be attracted to the shortage areas' several national parks and monuments, trails and equestrian activities, cycling, off road adventure areas and will appreciate the blue skies and welcoming mild climate. The short winter offers skiing in snow-covered mountains.