22 Nebraska Cattleman October 2023 work in. They often want to work in a practice where there is a team of veterinarians, and a lot of them don’t want to go to small towns or rural areas.” Many young people are intimidated by the physical labor requirements of the job, according to one large animal veterinarian. Liz Forker is the eldest daughter of June and Ryan Loseke, and she carried on the family tradition of veterinary medicine by joining them at their practice after graduation in 2021. “If you have to pull a 150-pound calf from a small heifer, that requires strength,” Forker says. “Long-term, large animal vets usually hurt everywhere because of the strenuous career.” Even though the industry is changing, there is still a need for large animal veterinarians in agricultural communities. According to the Nebraska Beef Council, there were 1.8 million cattle being raised in the state, along with approximately 5 million head residing temporarily in feedlots in 2021. “Large animal veterinarians are critical for food safety and animal welfare,” Dudley says. “Not only do vets help with disease and those types of things, they also help with production. They help ranchers and feeders with management decisions for the herd that increase their efficiency.” McVey adds that veterinarians have contributed to improving the industry by building trust with the consumer. “The public is very aware of the quality of their food and how it was handled before going to market,” McVey says. “We’re always working with the industry to increase medical cooperation, and one of the greatest callings of being a veterinarian is to be able to contribute to the food security of the world.” Veterinarians spend years investing in education to equip themselves with knowledge to combat the biggest animal health challenges in the industry, but they cannot do it alone. “By working together with the ranchers, we can continue to create a healthy, sustainable food supply, and ranchers are excellent at learning and growing their skill set,” Forker says. In order to work together, veterinarians need to know their clients in depth to help them make the best medical choices for their livestock. “Every operation is different, and I think developing a relationship with the local veterinarian allows them to help producers better,” Forker says. “When I have worked with a rancher, CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 AN AVERAGE DAY AT WORK: EXPERTS REFLECT ON THE SHORTAGE OF LARGE ANIMAL VETERINARIANS IN NEBRASKA • CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20 "Not only do vets help with disease and those types of things, they also help with production. They help ranchers and feeders with management decisions for the herd that increase their efficiency." – Roger Dudley, DVM ® MLStubs.com info@mlstubs.com Your MLS Expert Molly Folot: 970-218-1185 Don’t Gamble WithWeaning & Receiving MLS TubsAre A Sure Bet
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