Five renowned cattle veterinarians have been nominated and voting is underway for the 2016 Cattle Production Veterinarian Hall of Fame, which was created in 2011 to honor exceptional individuals who have made lasting contributions to the veterinary profession. This year's outstanding nominees have played leading roles throughout their careers in academia, veterinary practice and research in the cattle industry.
"From preventive medicine advancements and production diagnostics developments to mentoring youth and improving herd health, this group of veterinarians has made significant contributions to the beef and dairy industries," says Brent Meyer, D.V.M., technical services veterinarian for Merck Animal Health, who coordinates the nomination process. "This year's nominees truly embody the standard of excellence that the Hall of Fame represents."
Five organizations founded and sponsor the Hall of Fame – Merck Animal Health, the Academy of Veterinary Consultants (AVC), the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), Bovine Veterinarian and Osborn Barr.
Voting is currently underway and will remain open until August 6. Members of the AVC and the AABP may vote for one beef and one dairy nominee. AVC members may vote during the organization's spring and summer conferences or online at www.avc-beef.org/halloffame. AABP members may vote online at www.aabp.org/halloffame.
The sixth annual Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at this year's AABP Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, Sept. 15 - 17, 2016.
Beef Nominees:
Rodney Oliphant, D.V.M., is known for his pioneering work in the area of preventive beef medicine. Dr. Oliphant earned his D.V.M. from Kansas State University in 1963. After graduation, he joined the Air Force where he served as a veterinarian for two years. After his time in the military, he practiced in Goodland, Kansas, until 1970. Dr. Oliphant then returned to his hometown, Offerle, Kansas, to start and manage his own practice and ranching business. Before he passed away in 2012, Dr. Oliphant was well known for mentoring young veterinarians throughout Kansas, volunteering with local 4-H clubs, helping local and surrounding area cattle producers and ranchers, and traveling to Bangladesh for mission work where he provided knowledge and hands-on experience to the local cattlemen.
Roger J. Panciera, D.V.M., has had made great strides in beef cattle production and disease control by providing both scientific contributions and education to veterinarians and producers. Dr. Panciera received his D.V.M from Oklahoma State University (OSU) in 1953 and his Ph.D. in 1960 from Cornell University. He returned to OSU, where he has achieved international recognition by influencing generations of students, residents, practitioners and pathologists. Dr. Panciera has routinely answered practitioners' calls, provided valuable consultation to new veterinarians entering food animal practice, and personally traveled to large feedyards and farms all over the Southwest to help producers with disease outbreaks.
Robert Sprowls, D.V.M., has devoted considerable time and effort to disease and diagnostics of cow-calf, stocker and feeder cattle. Dr. Sprowls received his Ph.D. in Veterinary Pathology in 1974 and his D.V.M. in 1969 from Texas A&M University. He has spent the past 38 years employed by the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in Amarillo, where he has served as the Head of the Pathology, Toxicology and Clinical Pathology sections. In 1981, he became the director of the Amarillo laboratory. In addition to his administrative role of operating a state animal disease diagnostic laboratory, he is also heavily involved with diagnostic efforts and working individual cases.
Dairy Nominees:
Keith Sterner, D.V.M., is well known for developing the Grymer/Sterner® Toggle Suture method of left displaced abomasum (LDA) repair, in collaboration with Dr. Grymer in 1982. Dr. Sterner is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he completed his D.V.M. degree in 1969. He served in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps from 1970 to 1972. He then went into private veterinary practice in Ionia, Michigan, with his father, the late Dr. Edward F. Sterner, where he became an owner and partner until his retirement in late 2011. He still remains active as a consultant and a backup for the practice. Dr. Sterner has been published in both peer-reviewed and lay journals for more than 33 years. He continues to pursue his interest in organized veterinary medicine, veterinary devices and inventions in his "retirement".
David Rhoda, D.V.M., was an early adopter of a production medicine approach to established herd level health and reproductive records, when they were still kept by hand. He received his D.V.M. from the University of Illinois in 1966. After graduation, he worked for the U.S. Army and did research in circulatory physiology. He then joined the Evansville Veterinary Services, where he spent 35 years. In 2004, Dr. Rhoda left private practice and began working with the University of Wisconsin, where he was involved with the development of its College of Veterinary Medicine's Dairy Certificate program. Dr. Rhoda remains involved in the veterinary profession through his work with the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association's Food Armor® program, providing training for this nationally acclaimed program for developing Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HAACP) programs on dairies, and reducing drug residues in meat and milk.
About the Cattle Production Veterinarian Hall of Fame
There is no one more dedicated to the health and well-being of animals than the cattle production veterinarian. Since the veterinary profession began 250 years ago, veterinarians have been helping farmers and ranchers do what they do best – produce safe, nutritious food for the world. Through early mornings, late nights and harsh weather conditions, veterinarians are a steadfast and essential part of cattle production.
The Cattle Production Veterinarian Hall of Fame celebrates the rich traditions of cattle production veterinary medicine by honoring the exceptional men and women who have made lasting contributions to their profession. Inductees are true pioneers whose achievements span their entire careers.
We are proud to acknowledge this outstanding group by inducting two cattle production veterinarians into the Cattle Production Veterinarian Hall of Fame – one dairy and one beef veterinarian – selected by their peers and recognized by the entire industry. We are proud to honor those who have dedicated their careers to advancing cattle production veterinary medicine.
3.20.2016
