State/Territory
Arkansas
Shortage Location - Must Serve
Columbia, Ouachita, and Union Counties
Shortage Location - May Serve
Contiguous counties: Lafayette, Calhoun, and Bradley
Location Center
Louann, 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 these counties: Land Area 1.6 M acres Livestock and Livestock Product Total Sales $7 M Beef Cows - 10.6K Sheep – 341 Goats – 771 Hogs - 207; livestock numbers = head count This area is between two livestock markets. 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. There are 5 DVMS are listed for these counties. On is >50% large and the others are mostly small animal practitioners. This area is prime for joining an established practitioner who has expressed interest or for starting your own practice.
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
This area has been a part of previous nominations. 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
Southern Arkansas offers several pristine lakes, the Ouachita National Forest, natural hot springs, spas, scenic byways, horse racing and even a chance to dig for diamonds! It's also home to the "quartz crystal capital of the world," Mount Ida. Attraction include mining, museums, resorts & spas. It is just south of Oaklawn Racing Casino and Resort. Visit nearby Bathhouse Row and visit the Gangster Museum. Enjoy activities at the 4 State States Fairgrounds. Immerse in academia at nearby Southern Arkansas University.