Veterinary Resources
Missouri accredited veterinarians play an important role in helping to detect and control animal diseases in the state through disease monitoring, testing and reporting. The Division of Animal Health works closely with the accredited veterinarians across the state to complete the mission of promoting and protecting Missouri’s diverse and dynamic livestock industry. MDA has two Animal Health Diagnostic Labs that provide our accredited veterinarians with testing for many animal diseases.
What's New in Animal Health
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in U.S. dairy herds. Learn more on how USDA is managing the evolving situation here.
- MDA Milk Testing Guidance for Missouri Dairy Producers
Current Disease Concerns
Some diseases affect multiple species and are reportable in all cases:
Animal Disease Programs
MDA has several disease programs for cattle, swine, cervid, ovine, poultry and canine producers. These programs include:
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Sample Collection Program
The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Surveillance Program is a federal program sponsored by USDA in which accredited veterinarians are trained to collect samples from certain cattle to be submitted for BSE testing. Both the accredited veterinarian and their producer may receive payment for each sample submitted. Participation in the program assists Missouri and the nation in meeting surveillance requirements and reassuring our trading partners of the nation’s freedom from BSE.
To qualify for testing, cattle must be in one of the following categories:
- Any age or breed of cattle showing neurologic symptoms.
- Any cattle that are down and over 30 months of age.
- Any cattle found dead with a known clinical history.
For more information regarding the program, see here
Other Helpful Resources:
Missouri Livestock Markets
Missouri is home to more than 100 livestock markets. Our markets are required to employ an accredited veterinarian to conduct animal inspections and testing, apply or verify official identification, and provide CVIs or other required documents for interstate movement of animals.
For more information pertaining to Missouri Livestock Markets, please click here.
If you are interested in working for one of Missouri’s livestock markets, contact MDA at (573) 751-3377.
Veterinary Student Loan Programs
There are two student loan programs available for veterinarians intending to practice, or currently practicing, large animal veterinary medicine. The first program is state sponsored and funded and administered by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The second program is a national program and is administered by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
1. Dr. Merrill Townley and Dr. Dan Brown Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program
The Dr. Merrill Townley and Dr. Dan Brown Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program is available for 1st through 4th year veterinary students currently enrolled at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. The Dr. Merrill Townley and Dr. Dan Brown Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program was established to assist students currently enrolled or students that have been accepted into the University of Missouri's College of Veterinary Medicine with their financial burden.
The loan provides $30,000 for living and educational expenses incurred during their veterinary education process for 12 individuals per academic year. The loans are forgiven provided the students practice large animal veterinary medicine in a defined area of need ($30,000 for each year of service provided). Applicants are selected by an appointed advisory committee on an annual basis.
Find more information regarding the specific requirements here.
Application and Financial Disclosure Forms are accepted from Aug. 15 to Sept. 15 of each calendar year.
- Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program Application
- Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program Applicant's Permission for Disclosure
Placement Forms are due to the Department of Agriculture by May 1 of the year of graduation from the College of Veterinary Medicine, from recipients of the loan.
- Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program Loan Contract & Promissory Note
- Large Animal Veterinary Student Loan Program Placement
2. Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP)
The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) is for qualified veterinarians to reduce their educational debt by agreeing to provide professional veterinary services for three years in designated, high priority, veterinary food supply shortage situations throughout the U.S. and its insular areas. The VMLRP will pay up to $25,000 each year toward qualified educational loans of eligible veterinarians who agree to serve in a NIFA-designated veterinarian shortage situation for a period of three years.
Each year, Missouri is allotted seven nominations to address shortages across the state each year, five of which are for private practice and two are for public practice. Those nominations can be found at https://www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-map?state=330. Applications open in January and close in April each year. Application information and assistance can be found on NIFA’s website.
If you know areas in need, contact MDA at (573) 751-3377 or animal.health@mda.mo.gov.
Veterinary Accreditation
Newly licensed veterinarians in Missouri must attend a federally sponsored accreditation session outlining state and federal regulations regarding regulatory procedures and animal movement protocols. Upon completion, veterinarians are assigned a specific numeric and alphabetic code for use on official documents, health certificates and blood tubes used in regulatory diagnostics.
Veterinarians must be accredited in the appropriate category, category I or II, for the species in which they are issuing a health certificate. Category I accredited veterinarians may issue health certificates for all animals except food and fiber species, horses, birds, farm-raised aquatic animals, all other livestock species, and zoo animals that can transmit exotic animal diseases to livestock. Category II accredited veterinarians can issue health certificates for all animals. In addition, veterinarians must be Category II accredited to conduct any livestock program disease testing.
Official Health Certificates
A certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI), also known as a health certificate, is an official document issued by an accredited veterinarian certifying that the animals identified on the document have been inspected and were found to be free of contagious or communicable disease and that they have met the requirements for movement within the same state, between states, or internationally.
Common Causes for Rejected Health Certificates
MDA’s Disease Control team is responsible for managing health certificates. When our team receives returned certificates from other states, they are processed and forwarded to USDA. The veterinarian is then notified of the deficiency by a state or federal district veterinarian. The goal is to assist our veterinarians in writing health certificates correctly.
Requirements may be different from state to state. We recommend inquiring with the state of destination about their requirements prior to writing a health certificate. Interstatelivestock.com can be used to find requirements but should not be the sole source of information. We recommend contacting the state of destination’s Department of Agriculture for the most up to date information.
Find here a list of common discrepancies in animal certificates.
Veterinary Feed Directive
As of Jan. 1, 2017, medically important antimicrobials in medicated feed have become veterinary feed directive (VFD) drugs, and the resulting VFD feed must be authorized by a licensed veterinarian and distributed and used in compliance with the VFD regulation. Also, animal producers will no longer be able to use these VFD feeds for growth promotion or feed efficiency.
What does this mean for producers, vets, feed mills and distributors?
For questions regarding the Veterinary Feed Directive, contact the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Feed, Seed and Treated Timber at:
Phone: (573) 751-4310
Fax: (573) 751-5500
E-Mail: Mary.Koestner@mda.mo.gov