Article excerpts:

“The veterinary industry is facing a crisis, particularly in rural America, where farmers and ranchers struggle to find large-animal veterinarians. Since the end of World War II, the United States has lost 90 percent of its large-animal and livestock veterinarians, according to a 2023 Johns Hopkins study. As the shortage worsens, some areas are left with little to no veterinary coverage for miles, putting the health and welfare of livestock at risk.

According to 2023 data from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the number of mixed and food animal veterinarians fell by 15 percent. While 68,000 veterinarians were working in small animal practices, just over 8,000 were working in large animal or mixed practices.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture keeps track of shortages on their Veterinarian Shortage Situation map, which contains all shortages in a fiscal year. All of the states in blue have at least one designated shortage area. In 2024, the biggest number of shortages were in the Midwest, West, and Georgia. Of the states with shortages, the AVMA says that beef cattle are consistently the species with the greatest need.”

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