State/Territory
Texas
Shortage Location - Must Serve
Cooke, Denton, and Grayson Counties
Shortage Location - May Serve
Wise, Montague, and Collin Counties
Location Center
Valley View, TX 76272
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
(minimum 50% of time)
Beef Cattle
Small Ruminant
May serve
All agricultural and food supply animals
Nominator Name
Lewis Dinges
Nominator Title
State Veterinarian
Nominator Org
Texas Animal Health Commission
Nominator Email
Nominator Phone
512-719-0715
Importance/Objectives of Veterinarian
In these six counties, there are more than 15,000 farms, 320,000+ beef cattle, 24,000+ goats, 15,000+ sheep and lambs, and 34,000+ horses and ponies. While there are roughly forty Category II accredited veterinarians in these counties, around fifteen of them focus their veterinary services on equine care specifically and around ten of them only occasionally see food animals. Over the past few years, several veterinarians here have shifted toward small animal veterinary services due to the urban sprawl coming from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The remaining fifteen veterinarians who perform significant regulatory livestock work in the area are facing a veterinarian to cattle ratio of around 1 to 21,300. This is particularly concerning, because the three northern counties lie on the Texas-Oklahoma border, and hundreds of thousands of commercial beef cattle move though the area each year, many going to feedlots in Southern Oklahoma. The area also has three cattle markets, two equine markets, and two feral swine facilities that require active veterinary involvement to ensure prompt and proper disease outbreak reporting and response. As the population in this area increases, there is also a growth of new small acreage farms. Active veterinary guidance is critical on these premises, as new producers must be educated regarding husbandry, vaccination, zoonotic diseases, and safe meat, egg, and milk production.
Veterinarian Medical Activities & Services
With more than 320,000 head of beef cattle in this area, and with significant numbers crossing the Texas-Oklahoma border, an important aspect of veterinary services in this area is education to producers regarding calfhood vaccinations, disease spread and prevention, and regular testing. Veterinarians in this area also provide consultative services, including developing herd health plans, as well as provide both routine and advanced reproductive services for beef cattle producers, including performing breeding soundness exams, pregnancy checking, and trichomoniasis testing for the hundreds of cattle producers here.
Many producers in this area travel to Oklahoma for stock shows, fairs, and rodeos, so veterinarians here regularly inspect animals and issue Certificates of Veterinary Inspection for cattle, horses, and pigs.
There are many robust 4H and FFA programs in these counties, and the veterinarian is integral in educating the next generation about husbandry practices and overall animal health and welfare.
Historical Efforts of Recruiting/Retaining a Veterinarian
Clinics in this area have focused their recruitment efforts in attending job fairs at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and by placing advertisements in the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) journal, on the Texas A&M and Oklahoma State veterinary job boards, and by word of mouth with people who frequent other veterinary clinics. Because several clinics in this area have moved away from large animal work over the years, new veterinarians coming to this area are primarily taking jobs seeing small animals. The few clinics who still focus on large animal care have a much tougher time recruiting, because the work hours are longer and oftentimes harder. Even when attempting to match the pay of small and mixed animal clinics, new veterinarians prefer regular work hours rather than having to work after hours emergency calls and weekend shifts.
Consequences of Not Securing/Retaining a Veterinarian
This area is one of the busiest in the state in terms of interstate livestock movement. Texas imports and exports hundreds of thousands of beef cattle each year, and many of these animals travel directly through Cooke County via I-35. Active veterinary assessments and care is essential in ensuring that Texas livestock are healthy and do not spread diseases while leaving the state. Overall herd health is particularly important, because many producers in these counties export to Oklahoma feedlots, which directly contributes to the US food supply. Without adequate veterinary oversight, it will simply become increasingly difficult to ensure the health of Texas interstate livestock.
The current veterinary shortage is also creating a generational loss of information. Without veterinary insights in animal production, producers are left without a vital source of information regarding biosecurity, herd health, and the risk of zoonotic diseases. Many of the older farms in this area have been sold over the past ten years, leaving new, less experienced producers to take their place. Additional veterinary services are necessary to ensure the next generation is educated enough to maintain a healthy and wholesome food supply in the state and the country.
Community Aspects
Some of the top attractions in this area of the state are Lake Ray Roberts, Lake Texoma, and Lake Lewisville. Lake Ray Roberts has two beautiful state parks with camping, fishing, and trails. Eisenhower State Park and the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge in Grayson County also have scenic hiking trails, wooded areas, and great fishing and camping.
Just across the Oklahoma border is Choctaw Casino & Resort, which has regular live entertainment, spas, restaurants, and RV accessibility.
There are two universities in this area, the University of North Texas and Texas Women’s University, as well as a community college, North Central Texas College.
Most of the school districts in these counties have great academics, active FFA and 4H programs, and tight-knit communities. While the shortage area is mostly small, communal towns, Dallas and Fort Worth are both just an hour drive away for any entertainment and shopping purposes.
Sanger, Texas hosts community square events like the Sanger Sellabration and the Freedom Fest and concert, along with a monthly farmers market. Gainesville, Texas hosts Summer Sounds, a monthly outdoor concert near the square, and Valley View, Texas hosts events on their square, including a Wine Festival, Trick or Treating, and various holiday events.
Page last updated: February 9, 2026