State/Territory
Kentucky
Shortage Location - Must Serve
Bath, Fleming, Lewis, Mason, Nicholas, Pendleton, Robertson, Rowan Counties in KY
Shortage Location - May Serve
Bourbon, Bracken, Campbell, Carter, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Grant, Harrison, Jessamine, Madison, Menifee, Montgomery, Owen, Powell, Scott, Woodford Counties in KY
Location Center
Flemingsburg, KY 41041
VSGP Status
Open
VMLRP Status
(Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program)
Open
Priority of shortage
Moderate
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
Small Ruminant
Other Must Serve
May serve
Dairy Cattle
Swine
Poultry
Other May Serve
Employer
Position Title
Other disciplinary area
Carry Over
Nominator Name
R. Steve Velasco III DVM, MBA
Nominator Title
Ky. State Veterinarian
Nominator Org
Ky. Dept. of Agriculture
Nominator Email
Nominator Phone
(502) 782-5913
Importance/Objectives of Veterinarian
According to the National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS) Annual Bulletin, Kentucky ranks 8th in beef cattle, 7th in poultry broiler, and 20th in hog and pig market value demonstrating a significant contribution to the national food production system. This nominated area will serve a total of 6586 square miles in which are, according to the NASS County Estimates, 559,821 cattle and calves, and 29,947 goats and sheep reside. There are currently 47 Category II accredited veterinarians serving in food animal or mixed animal practice in this area yielding a 1:12,548 veterinarians to total cattle, sheep, and goat ratio. Backyard poultry production and movement have significantly increased in popularity with few veterinary practitioners available to provide medical care, consultation, and disease surveillance. Current food animal practitioners have had to limit their coverage area or their working hours to maintain dependable service to the producers they serve. Veterinarians often cannot afford to travel over fifty miles at reasonable fees due to sound practice economics. The objectives for a veterinarian in this area are to provide relief to the increasing practitioner shortage, improve the food animal veterinary care, provide necessary advisory and regulatory functions for producers and enhance the entire animal agriculture economy of the area. This area overlaps with the other nominated areas due to the central concentration of Kentucky's cattle population.
Veterinarian Medical Activities & Services
A veterinarian in this shortage situation will dedicate at least 30% of their work time to providing routine veterinary care to cattle, small ruminants, equine, swine and poultry. This care includes preventive herd health consultation, parasitology, reproductive work, diagnostic work on sick or debilitated animals and emergency services. This veterinarian will also provide regulatory services to food animal producers including brucellosis and tuberculosis testing and certifications, issuing Certificates of Veterinary Inspection, captive cervid herd examinations and certifications, issue Veterinary Feed Directives, apply official animal identification for traceability, brucellosis calfhood vaccination and promote the adherence to food safety standards. This veterinarian will be the first line of defense for the recognition of a foreign animal disease and will respond appropriately to federal and state agencies. A food animal practitioner in this area will be available to work with local producer groups and youth organizations such as 4H and FFA to share vital information and training that will improve, protect and help sustain the agricultural economy of Kentucky and the nation. As Kentucky has been hit with two natural disasters in 2021-2022, the veterinarian will provide emergency response assistance to animals during a disaster as well as provide education and outreach to help animal owners better prepare.
Historical Efforts of Recruiting/Retaining a Veterinarian
This area has been included as an identified shortage area in the past, but to date remains a High Priority veterinary shortage area in Kentucky. Although active recruitment to fill positions in the area are ongoing, the acute shortage of recent graduates willing to practice Large Animal / Food Animal medicine to fill these positions, coupled with the competition in the marketplace in general and particularly recruitment into Small Animal Practices has inhibited the ability of the local Mixed and Large Animal veterinary practices to fill their important and necessary Food Animal / Large Animal positions available at this time.
Consequences of Not Securing/Retaining a Veterinarian
Kentucky producers provide significant numbers of feeder and dairy cattle vital to the food supply of the nation. With the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in the region, more veterinarians will be needed to monitor for disease and assist in regulation of movement in farmed cervids. The sheep and goat industry is expanding significantly in Kentucky providing increased market animals. Additionally, local backyard poultry flocks are increasing in popularity to meet the farmer market and public demand for locally produced food. Veterinarians provide the expertise needed to maintain a healthy herd or flock. The shortage of food animal veterinarians available for herd health visits/consultations, surgery and emergency after hour visits is putting the Kentucky producer's herds and flocks at risk. In the absence of veterinary consultation, producers may use veterinary pharmaceuticals inappropriately putting a potentially dangerous product into the food chain. As food safety issues are a major component of the ability to export animals, the viability of livestock industries depends on the expertise of professionally trained food animal practitioners. 2021 demographic data provided by the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners indicates that only 9% of veterinarians in KY currently devote more than 15% of their practice time to Food Animal Medicine. Approximately half of KY's Food Animal practitioners are over the age of 50 years old, and only 17% of graduates in the last 5 years dedicate more than 15% of their time to Food Animal Medicine. This data indicates that within the next 10-15 years KY's shortage of Food Animal practitioners is likely to significantly increase. It should be noted that the nominations submitted by Kentucky share the same objectives and justification. This results from a common trend of increased companion animal only practice and the food animal practitioner shortage within the nomination areas.
Community Aspects
In order for a veterinarian to enjoy longevity of practice in a rural animal setting, a work-life balance is essential. Sometimes that balance involves outdoor recreational activities, like hiking or boating. Hike in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. Boat along the Ohio or Cumberland rivers. Camp on the shores of Cave Run Lake. Other times the critical down time may include various trendy restaurants, live music or world class sporting events found in a nearby city. Take in a concert in Bowling Green. Enjoy a new restaurant in Louisville. Maybe experience a basketball game in Lexington. Choices for fun and relaxation are plentiful. Kentucky also offers a wide variety of community activities that minimize the rigors of daily practice life. Be local and be involved with your friendly neighbors with the joys of holiday parades and the plethora of small-town festivals during the spring and fall. Your new friends will support your professional journey as you cheer on the high school team. Life outside the practice world awaits you in Kentucky.