Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Intern, Maci Carter, had the opportunity to attend the 2023 Bovine Health and Technology Summit, where she was able to visit with Dr. Rosslyn Biggs, a Beef Cattle Extension Specialist at the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Biggs and Carter discussed the summit, the conclusion of this year’s Integrated Beef Cattle Program, upcoming events for the college, and more.
“There were about 80 veterinarians from across Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, that were with us, as well as about 20 of our current veterinary students that are interested in beef cattle medicine,” Biggs said.
The event took place in Stillwater at the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine and was sponsored by Merck Health and hosted by the OSU Vet Medicine Animal Medicine Team, and OSU Extension. It reached a large group of individuals from the regional vet industry.
“Dr. Peel gave us an economic outlook on cattle that are going to be worth a lot of money,” Biggs said. “New technologies in veterinary medicine in animal health, animal identification, and traceability was a discussion point. Got updates from our Merck partners on bovine respiratory disease, and invasive parasites as well. “
This summit was vast and covered a lot of ground in terms of topics concerning the beef industry. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from folks from different aspects of the beef and animal health industries.
Not only was this a great summit for building skill sets for veterinarians, but it also concluded the Integrated Beef Cattle Program for this year.
“We have shortages in many areas of the country and really across food supply veterinary medicine,” Biggs said. “So, we’re trying to encourage future veterinarians to understand what they’re getting into, make them more marketable to the practices that they’re likely to go to following graduation, but also, put more tools in the toolkit of veterinary practices.”
This program hosted 20 veterinarians and 20 vet students and allowed them to work together as partners.
“At least anecdotally, we’re seeing those connections that are really, really important in matching veterinary graduates with future employers, but also for those veterinarians that are looking to, you know, transition, maybe sell a practice at some point,” Biggs said. “This is giving them the connections that they need for potential individuals that would buy those practices.”
Biggs said that this program has been a big success for the past two years, helping folks make a lot of connections. The program will run for at least one more year; however, OSU is hoping to make it continue beyond that.
“We are about to welcome our next class of veterinary students,” Biggs said. “Our fourth-year students, in just a couple of months, we’ll be taking their national board exam, so maybe say a prayer or two for them and their success on that. From our continuing education standpoint, we will have a fall conference in November for veterinarians and veterinary technicians. And then for the general public, we have an open house that will be October 21.”
The college of veterinary medicine also has a lot of exciting things in the works for the next upcoming few months. Biggs said she looks forward to the success of the new and outgoing classes at Oklahoma State University as well as conferences and the open house.
“I just got back from D.C. with veterinarians,” Biggs said. “We were on the Hill visiting with our Congressionals about things that need to change to support those in the food supply, veterinary medicine, and in particular, that serve our small town producers here in Oklahoma.”
Aside from all these ventures that Dr. Biggs has had a hand in, she also visited Washington D.C., recently to advocate for food supply and rural veterinary supply. Dr. Biggs passion for moving the needle for vet medicine in the state of Oklahoma truly shows.
