Herd medicine in perspective

Abstract

Veterinarians in the United States are currently evaluating their professional activities in order to serve the livestock producer and food consumer more effectively. Planned health programs are only partially effective if environmental and management deficiencies are not identified and corrected. This is accomplished most effectively by an interdisciplinary approach between veterinary medicine and agricultural engineering. This highly effective approach has been utilized at the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine for over 20 years. Dairy producers on this program presently realize an economic benefit of over $20.00 in return for each dollar invested in total animal health care, environmental and management systems.