Veterinarian Network and Mentoring Program Launching in Texas, New Mexico

A group of Texas A&M AgriLife faculty are establishing a rural veterinarian network to provide education and assistance to make rural veterinary practices sustainable. Many rural large animal practices are operated by older vets, and younger veterinary professionals are going into pet care because it’s more lucrative, said Tom Hairgrove, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service cattle veterinary specialist in the Texas A&M University Department of Animal Science. That could lead to a reduction of rural large animal practices.

This project aims to shift focus from treatment to prevention – using a comprehensive herd health practices approach that can help prevent metabolic diseases, respiratory and reproductive diseases. By doing so, the practitioner becomes a greater asset to producers.

Hairgrove will lead the “Improving the Sustainability of Rural Veterinarians Through Mentoring, Targeted Education, Telemedicine and Monitoring of Disease Syndromes” project, funded by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’ Veterinary Services Grant Program grant. For more information, read the Texas A&M University article.