State/Territory
Arkansas
Shortage Location - Must Serve
Hot Spring, Grant, Clark, and Dallas Counties
Shortage Location - May Serve
Contiguous counties: Saline and Garland
Location Center
Arkadelphia, AR
VSGP Status
Open
VMLRP Status
(Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program)
Open
Priority of shortage
High
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
Other May Serve
Employer
Position Title
Other disciplinary area
Carry Over
Nominator Name
John G. Nilz, DVM
Nominator Title
State Veterinarian
Nominator Org
AR Agri. Dept.
Nominator Email
Nominator Phone
501.297.2250
Importance/Objectives of Veterinarian
Our 2017 NASS Census data shows the following for this grouping of 7 counties: Land Area 1.8 M acres Livestock and Livestock Product Total Sales $ 9.2 M Beef Cows - 20K Sheep – 345 Goats – 1596 Hogs - 174; livestock numbers = head count This area is near or borders 2 counties with livestock markets. An established practice is available as a base to develop this area. Unfortunately, this area has been greatly affected by the loss of one of our large animal veterinarians. There is opportunity to provide timely care to the producers in these counties and will help fill an ever-growing shortage in the veterinary field. The objective is to yield prompt care for food animal producers through preventative care, nutritional consultations, reproductive services, and surgical procedures. A 2019 study shows that 49% of our 766 veterinarians practice exclusively on small animals. Mixed animal practitioners include 29% of the total with 22% registered at 50% small/50% large and 7% listed as >50% small. This are has 2 exclusive equines DVMs. 4 are greater than 50% small and one is 50:50. This area is contains a practice that can provide a base for a food animal practitioner.
Veterinarian Medical Activities & Services
The practitioner will provide preventative care such as individualized vaccine protocols, deworming, outbreak management through necropsy and exams. Through veterinary nutritional consultations producers can better manage their herd. Reproductive services that can be administered are pregnancy detection via ultrasound, bull breeding soundness exams, heifer breeding soundness exams and dystocias. Surgical procedures include castration, dehorning, cesarean, displaced abomasum procedures.
Historical Efforts of Recruiting/Retaining a Veterinarian
A bovine associate was previously interviewed for this area. Unfortunately, they were enticed to join a larger team of established veterinarians. This area was part of a FY 2021 shortage nomination. Several entities such as local practitioners, politicians, producers, and their associations have expressed concern about this area. Producer associations that have great concerns are: AR Cattlemen's, AR Goat Producers, Farm Bureau, and the Livestock Market.
Consequences of Not Securing/Retaining a Veterinarian
Ninety seven percent of Arkansas' cattle farms are family owned and operated. Without veterinarian services to these areas, farmers will unfortunately fall upon the opinions of feed stores and trial and error for their preventative care. A veterinarian monitored preconditioned herd will become a void concept. A veterinarian's ability to provide global governing of disease prevention in food animals contributes to the health and safety of the food chain. A veterinarian is integral in providing services to this area that will not only prevent small scale animal disease outbreaks but also aid in the growth of food animal production. Food animal veterinarians are trained to help prevent and respond to disease outbreaks in the food supply that could lead to a global crisis. They are our front line of defense. However, if the shortage of food animal veterinarians continues to grow or is unaddressed our state and the nation will be at greater risk from a slow response time as well as a potential economic crisis if a large-scale disease outbreak happens.
Community Aspects
This area of the state is literally and figuratively at the center of it all. Commerce, business, tourism, outdoor activities, upscale and downhome cuisine – it's all here. Visit Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site where nine students made history in 1957 or explore the life of a leader at the Clinton Presidential Center. The Diamond Mine is a short distance to the south west. Attractions include Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, Heifer International, Clinton Presidential Library, The Old Mill, and Central High. Many lakes with excellent fishing of variable species.