Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of the regonal (designanted shortage area) livestock producers were served with routine and emergencey veterinary care, consultation, and herd health animal disease surveilance. Changes/Problems:In the summer of 2022, our clinic suffered significant damage during a major flooding event. However we remained available and continued to provide services to our community throughout the recovery process. Due to the flooding, drastic changes in property values post COVID, and the struggle to properly staffing up to the current challenges has slowed progress toward many of the goals to the extent originally planned. When my wife and I started here in 2014, we were joining a solo practitioner that had been for 30 years. There was not then and still isn't any other multi-doctor veterinary practice doing what we do for livestock producers for another 120 -200 miles (depending on the direction). There have been many struggles and growing pains to come to where we are now, more than I ever could have anticipated. To meet this challenge, we have had to have a major overhaul on efficiency and value for time for the producer and veterinarian interactions. However, our plan does not end with the project end date. We plan to continue this path, and we could have never have possibly made it this far without the support of the VSGP RPE. Another (5th) associate DVM and more veterinary support staff are in our 5 year plan with another satellite practice and haul in facility, to better support the needs of the vast MT176, in our 10 year plan. We believe the model of staff and service that we are developing is improving and answering the shortage need for the area and that model can continue to expand to fulfill the need. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?See above for involvement with student education. We have collaborated with industry representatives and local producer organizations to provide learning labs, dinner discussion, and guest speakers on important topics to the area and industry. Earlier this year and through our local producer organization we invited a neighboring VSGP awardee to come and demonstrate techniques and aids in obstetrical work for producers using her VSGP supported life size "calving dummy" and other teaching aids. We have hosted a couple wet labs with producers where we demonstrate liver biopsy technique and then discussion with those producers as a group on the importance of mineral supplementation and the results of their volunteered sampled animals. Our internet-based phone system and cloud software has been revolutionary in our practice and our ability to respond to questions, provide consultation and make that part of the client record so that all staff and veterinarians can stay adept to current plans for that producer. We have organized procedure days in our haul-in facility to improve efficiency and decrease costs, for example bull breeding soundness exams or bangs vaccination days. This allows smaller producers to benefit from the efficiency and reduced per head cost that is usually only afforded to the larger producers with higher head counts. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?see above and previous reports What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In accordance with the project and the needs circumscribed in the MT176 nomination, we have expanded the area and increased the volume of producers within this area that are serviced by our veterinary clinic. The availability of portable equipment has made processing, semen testing, pregnancy exams, bangs vaccination, and regulatory work far more accessible and practical for producers on either owned or leased ground that otherwise would not simply be able to do so. This has expanded the seasons to which we can pregnancy test and perform fall vaccinations. This has increased the capability to which we can process bulls (yearlings and larger herd bulls) for breeding soundness exam. Prior to the RPE project we performed approximately 400 bull BSEs per year, this year it is early in the season, and we have already processed over 1300. In 2019 we pregnancy tested approximately 20,000 head of cattle and last year we serviced over 40,000 head and nearly 3000 of that was done while offering fetal sexing services. As the expressed concern in the nomination form suggested, we have recently in the past 1-3 years been hit locally with an even greater veterinary shortage. Dr. Fahrmeier, who we had hired as an associate in 2018 partnered in with my wife and I to purchase the practice from Dr. Routen in late 2021, he then was able to retire in early 2022. Three other veterinary practices who were providing significant livestock veterinary services to the area have closed their doors in the past year due to economics, staffing, or health concerns. Dr. Rex Andersen, a friend and solo practitioner on the other side of our small town, passed away early last year. He had provided large animal services to the area for 30+ years. The RPE project has allowed us to better prepare for the worsening shortage that has been last year and will be in the future for the area. From 2020, we have averaged and increase of 20-30% of overall visits (appointments, farm calls) each year, even with the retirement of Dr. Routen. We feel we have successfully responded with the purchase of property in late 2023, renovation, and an investment ($550,000 +) and opening of a satellite practice (soft open 3/11/2023) further North from the original clinic's current location. The haul-in facility at the original clinic location and dedicated to livestock animal veterinary care for the MT176 area as outlined in the RPE proposal was a $250,000 investment by the clinic in 2020. This facility houses the RPE grant supported wide body tilt chute and a custom built obstetrical and surgical chute. This area also serves as a service and storage area for much of the other equipment afforded through the VSGP grant including the portable chutes, ultrasound, bull testing equipment and much more. We now have clients hauling as far as several hours away for us to do lameness and foot exams, breeding soundness exams on larger bulls, and service a very large number of smaller producers who do not have quality facilities for veterinary services. The facility has also been used by regional producers in need of it for their own purpose or for that of other professionals including embryologists and oocyte collection and transfer technicians. The benefit of this facility to smaller producers who do not have the means to otherwise safely handle their livestock cannot be overstated. The same concept applies to the obstetrical and surgical side of the facility, as it is unlike any other in the area. With the recent change in the dynamic of the veterinary shortage in the area, once new clients to the practice are exposed to our handling facility, they will gladly haul in routine dystocias, prolapses and C-sections knowing the ease, safety and better likelihood of successful outcomes that is accompanied by the use of the new facility. The benefit to us is that it greatly improves our efficiency by decreasing windshield time during and after hours. It is not uncommon to have 2 procedures underway with another trailer in line outside or one in route. The new satellite clinic will not take the place of the current haul in facility but provide a base of closer ranch call service or for consultation, minor procedures, biologics, medicines and other veterinary supplies. This clinic is closer to being centrally located to the service area and is closer to major highways and interstate to provide more ease of access. We have also been successful in hiring a new DVM graduate (24) that is slated to start in July of 2024. Over the course of the RPE project we have also added and retained 3 licensed or certified technicians for a total of 4. We have had over a dozen seasonal or trained on the job veterinary assistants in that time period as well. In late 2020 we hired the clinics first dedicated receptionist, converted to cloud based digital records and internet based USDA regulatory service in 2021, and in 2022 invested into an internet-based phone system that coordinates clinic phones and extensions with our DVMs personal phones to make questions, consultations and messaging between staff, producers and our veterinarians more seamless, digitally recorded, and conversations as needed can be made as part of the client's record. In 2023, large animal after-hours on call started to become so overwhelming we had to start referring all small animal emergencies to the nearest ER, an hour away because we were to often out in the field or out of service to appropriately attend to those clients needs. Last year we saw over 400 after hours emergency farm calls for producers; including dystocias, bloats, sick/scouring calves, lacerations, necropsies, prolapses, and many more. In early 2022, I became a deputized Montana state livestock brand inspector. This has no significant financial benefit to the clinic, but it does provide an added convenience for producers while doing other USDA regulatory work to procure the appropriate legal paperwork when moving livestock across county and state lines or during transfer of ownership of said livestock. In late 2021 we became an approved preceptorship practice for Auburn University and have supported a preceptor 4th year DVM student for an 8 week adjunct preceptorship each spring thereafter for a total of 3 students thus far. During this time students are exposed and evaluated in all aspects of rural mixed practice, however, these students usually choose us for the significant experience they develop with dystocias, prolapses, neonatal calf and small ruminant issues, bull and ram breeding soundness exams, and herd health consultations. We also support an average of 12 veterinary students per year for 2 week externships predominantly during the peak of fall herd work or during the spring calving period, and 2-4 high school work study students or undergrad shadowing students per year. We participate in area FFA veterinary science meets and learning events. Provide consultation and health check in serviced to county 4H fairs. We also host and attend many other student learning opportunities from elementary through high school.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/20 to 08/31/21
Outputs
Target Audience:Livestock Producers: With the equiment acquired through this grant we we able to drastically extend veterinary services into the designated shortage area. The new portable livestock handling equipment has allowed us to provide those services to producers who either had no decent setups themselves or were on leased ground or summer pasture. This greatly improved our efficiency in what became a high workload year due to increased processing and culling of cattle due to the severe drought experienced as many producers were short on grass or hay. We were able to start much earlier in the summer on what has been traditionally seasonal fall work. the added pregnancy diagnostic ultrasound and bull breeding soundness evaluation system has allowed us to not be bottlenecked by that equipment and we were able to have multiple veterinary teams out on different operations in the designated area at the same time. As predicted, as several regional veterinarians (including my major partner in the practice)reached retirement age we have had to grow to fill their roles. The added efficiency and increased capabilites afforded by the grant equipment has helped our practice scale up in our humble attempt to fill their shoes. This included acquiring the work of a large bull stud and testing operation that over doubled the number of bulls examined by our practice in a year. Education and outreach: We have continued our involvement with local youth groups, 4H &FFA both in the community and at our practice to promote and educate about our roles as veterinarians in national food supply. We have worked with a variety of organisations and experts to provide educational oportunities and events for producers. We are also in the planning phase of cooperating with a neighboring VSGP reciepient to share resourses to provide additional educational opportunities for our livestock producers. Veterinary Students: In our commitment to the goals of the grant, we have been accepted into one major veterinary school preceptor program and are in the application process with another. in 2021 we hosted 6 veterinary student preceptors for a total of 14 weeks of on site mentorship. We have several already scheduled for 2022. Changes/Problems:The pandemic has certainly limited what we are able to do with organizing large group opportunities and more student educational opportunities. We hope that in the new year that we are able to make more progress toward those goals. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We have formed relationships with veterinary teaching institutions as an approved preceptorship practice in their programs. We have organized educational opportunites for producers and local youth groups. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to continue to spread the word in regards to the availability of our portable livestock handling equipment. This will be accomplished through planned meetings (BQA, educational, youth programs, etc), social media and other advertisments. Livestock producer "word of mouth" from producers sharing their experiences with other producers seems to be sometimes the most convincing to initiate a veterinary relationship. We also plan to host several livestock producer educational meetings covering topics to include low stress animal handling, beef quality assurance, herd health programs and antibiotic stewardship. We plan to develop more relationships with regional universities to become an affiliated practice to accommodate student externships and preceptorships.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
As described were able to make great strides into the goals for this project. Even with the hindrances of 2020 and 2021, we were able to greatly expand our services and outreach in a safe manner. We also have formed relationships with veterinary teaching institutions as an approved preceptorship practice in their programs. We have been able to step up to the void created as local practitioners near and start retirement, including to provide the succession and take the reins of our practice as my business partner and mentor retired as of the end of the year. With this growth in services we feel fortunate that we have been able to grow our staff to be able to meet the needs, especially in a time where many businesses are having difficulty with staffing under current economic conditions. We are also fortunate and proud to have two young and eagercredentialled technicians join our rural practice team in the past 2 years.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/19 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Livestock producers of the MT176 service area were able to benefit from the project efforts in the first year, despite delay in funding initially and then by practical hurdles created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Much in part due to the availability of portable livestock handling equipment we were able to gain access to livestock earlier on summer (non-developed) pastures. With the access to the additional service equipment (reproductive ultrasound and bull fertility testing equipment) and the gained rural access mentioned previously we were able to make substancial progress toward our primary goals: increased veterinary access for producers, improvement of efficiency and reduce producer costs, and expand animal health consultation opportunity. Unfortunately, due to complications arising from the COVID-19 pandemic we were not able to host any veterinary or veterinary technician students this year. However, we did complete renovations to the practice to allow for an additional space in the clinic and to accomodate housing for future students. We currently have several students scheduled for the 2021/2022 school year. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We plan to continue to spread the word in regards to the availability of our portable livestock handling equipment. This will be accomplished through planned meetings (BQA, educational, youth programs, etc), social media and other advertisments. Livestock producer "word of mouth" from producers sharing their experiences with other producers seems to be sometimes the most convincing to initiate a veterinary relationship. We also plan to host several livestock producer educational meetings covering topics to include low stress animal handling, beef quality assurance, herd health programs and antibiotic stewardship. Pending the progress of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic we plan to develop relationship with regional universities to potentially become an affiliated practice to accommodate student externships and preceptorships.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Aside from the complications of COVID-19 on scheduling student externships, significant progress was made toward all major goals of the project. Our scheduled March producer appretiation meeting was also cancelled due to the current pandemic where we had intened to forcast the project with producers.However, once all equipment was aquired we were able to partner with regional extention agents and setup a formal community announcement of the project concurrently with a Beef Quality Assurance meeting/seminar on August 8th where attendees were able to inspect the equipment and discuss the project and how it benefits regional producers in detail. Also several social media announcements were made in addition to outreach to county extension, 4-H, and regional veterinarians. The first goal to increase veterinary access for livestock producers was met both by our increased access to rural outreach with portable handling equipment allotted by the project and the increased efficiency of that handling equipment along with the additional reproductive ultrasound and breeding soundness equipment. We found that our 3 bovine focused veterinarians were more commonly scheduled concurrently for bovine ranch calls. All portable units were well recieved by the community, however, of the 3 portable chutes aquired (1.) a smaller, simpler manual chute for tight manuevering into smaller setups, (2.) a combination tub/alley/manual chute as an all inclusive setup (3.) a large hydraulic chute with scales to ease larger processing volume;the all inclusive combination chute setup was the most popular producer request with the hydraulic chute a close second. Many times they were requested together while processing cows on summer pastures in areas or with producers that we had previously had little to no presence with. This has proven critical to outreach of the designated area beyond our traditional scope of practice. Many other producers have "seen the light" so to speak on how effective,safe, and efficient modern equipment can be. Given the positive producer feedback and enthusiasm toward the project, despite how late in the year our portable setups were operational (delays from initial funding, pandemic, and then aquisition/manufacturing) I am confident that they have had a great deal of impact on the livestock producers of the MT176 area. In order to accomodate the haul-in facility project equipment (tilt-chute and alleyway), the clinic has funded a facility building project that started mid September and is to be completed by end of November. This facility will house the tilt chute and obstetrical chute that will be serviced by a custom low stress animal handling inspired corrals, sorting pens, return alley. The facility will be availbe for veterinary use and also for producers who need to process small trailer loads of livestock. Moving our in house obstetrical work to the new facility will allow us to isolate the old chute building to housing and treating sick neonate calves. This will help us ensure that any new calves born in our facility are not exposed to contaminants from the sick animals. Developing partnerships with producers for the betterment of animal heath, food safety, and reducing costs has always been a goal of our practice and is aligned with the needs set forth in MT176. Any increase in exposure to the livestock community has improved our outreach and opportunity for veterinary consultation by regional livestock producers. Education of future veterinarians and veterinary technicians remains a priority. Our scheduled students cancelled their externships in 2020 due to the pandemic, however we do have students scheduled for the 2021 year. The clinic has prepared accomodations for future students on-site in order to support this goal. Students will gain experience and necessary skills needed rural veterinary practice with the goal to inspire others to contribute to this underserved sector of veterinary medicine.
Publications
|