How We Have Applied Production Medicine Techniques In Our Practice

Abstract

Today, the buzz word is "Production Medicine". The concept as I understand it, is both challenging and frightening, particularly to one educated in the '50's, also know as "BC" ie. "before computers". Since that time, I have seen veterinary practice progress from (a) traditional veterinary medicine, to (b) preventive medicine or herd health medicine, and now we see both of the above types of practice combined with a new focus on Production Medicine. Each of us will have our own definition. Mine would be "the practice whose goal is to make production units more efficient and thus more profitable". That goal can be accomplished by raising the awareness of our client as to the medical and managerial factors that stand in the way of genetic potential, and how these factors can be minimized. In this sense, production medicine is nothing new--except that now we are trying through modern technology to measure and manage it more effectively.