Veterinary Certification Research Articles

Advancing One Health through veterinary education: a mixed methods needs assessment for implementing a WOAH-harmonized national veterinary medicine curriculum in Ethiopia.

International organizations now actively promote and implement One Health collaborative approaches to prevent, detect, and control diseases in humans and animals, recognizing the critical importance of the veterinary and agricultural sectors. Moreover, Veterinary Services are chronically under-resourced, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Given the importance of National Veterinary Services to food security, nutrition, poverty alleviation, and global health security, strengthening veterinary capacity is a priority for the international community. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) outlines a set of minimum competencies veterinarians need to support National Veterinary Services effectively. To improve the quality of veterinary education, Ethiopia has developed a new 2020 national curriculum that is harmonized with the WOAH competencies. A mixed methods needs assessment was conducted to identify barriers and challenges that Ethiopian veterinary medicine programs have faced in implementing the new WOAH-harmonized national curriculum. Representatives from active veterinary programs granting a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree were invited to share their experiences via an online survey and follow-up focus group discussion. Fourteen veterinary programs, representing 93% of eligible programs nationwide, participated in the needs assessment. Quantitative analysis indicated that the most difficult topics associated with the new curriculum included Organization of Veterinary Services (Competency 3.1), Inspection and Certification Procedures (3.2), and practical applications of the regulatory framework for disease prevention and control (multiple competencies). Challenges associated with specific instructional methodologies, particularly the facilitation of off-site (private and public sector) student training, were also perceived as barriers to implementation. Focus group discussions elucidated reasons for these challenges and included limitations in faculty expertise, resource constraints (e.g., supplies, infrastructure), and access to off-site facilities for hands-on teaching. The results of this needs assessment will be used to identify and prioritize solutions to implementation challenges, helping Ethiopian veterinary medicine programs move the new WOAH-harmonized curriculum from theory to practice. As veterinarians are integral partners in advancing One Health, strengthening the capacity of Veterinary Services can ultimately safeguard animal and human health, grow economies, and improve lives.

VETERINARY CONTROL: PROBLEMS OF INTERACTION BETWEEN CUSTOMS 
 AUTHORITIES AND ROSSELKHOZNADZOR AUTHORITIES

Veterinary control is an activity of specialized state authorities, which is aimed at preventing the import of products that do not meet established veterinary and sanitary requirements. The article discusses issues of veterinary control, interaction between Rosselkhoznadzor and customs authorities. The work identifies problems in the implementation of veterinary control: the lack of a unified legislative framework, a lengthy mechanism for confirming veterinary certification, repeated work by government agencies at the border, difficulties in maintaining electronic veterinary certification.

Canine Support Program: Student perceptions and preferences at a regional university and implications for health, well-being, and student support enhancements.

Canine Support Programs (CSPs) are a potential solution to growing university student support demands. While current studies focus on the impacts of CSPs, there is limited understanding of the views and expectations of tertiary students about CSPs. This study explored the perceptions and preferences of students in an Australian regional university about CSPs. A questionnaire with multiple choice and open-ended questions surveyed residential students' perspectives about CSP. Data were analysed using descriptive statistical tests and thematic analysis for open responses. Majority (98%) of participants (sample n = 48) would support a CSP on campus. Frequent, small-group interactions of ≥15 min involving physical contact were preferred. Dog disposition, welfare-trained handlers, and veterinary certification were important aspects of program safety. Participants strongly agreed a CSP would improve mental health and well-being, relieve stress, reduce feelings of homesickness, provide support, comfort, and enable social interactions. There is strong support among the study population for CSP to be established on campus. This study supports earlier research that CSP has benefit potential for new, stressed, and/or students who love dogs. The preferences of students should inform program design to enhance utility and impact. This aligns with Health Promoting Universities and College's Okanagan Charter principle of 'engaging student voices'. More institutional awareness and support for CSPs will be necessary for integration. SO WHAT?: This study reveals the need for tailored and creative student support beyond traditional offerings including those that focus on student well-being and social initiatives. CSPs can be utilised as an advocate, enabler, and medium for mental health promotion action and well-being support for tertiary students; thereby, contributing to the 'Health Promoting University' agenda in Australia. It also reinforces the need for a Health in All Policies approach to be incorporated into our tertiary education sector. Future actions should focus on improving institutional awareness, support, and sector implementation.

Implementing Stress-Reducing Veterinary Care: Perceptions of Australian Veterinary Professionals Working with Dogs

ABSTRACT Veterinary care that incorporates a proactive, practical approach to reducing fear and stress (often referred to as stress-reducing or low-stress veterinary care) in companion animals in the veterinary context is becoming increasingly prevalent. However, the attitude of veterinary professionals toward these techniques is not well understood. This mixed-methods study utilized an online survey to provide an initial benchmark of the certifications for stress-reducing veterinary care within the Australian veterinary industry and to gauge the attitude and experience of veterinary professionals (n = 291, 91% female) toward reducing stress during veterinary care for domestic dogs. One in five (n = 56) participants reported having a stress-reducing veterinary care certification (e.g., Fear-FreeTM Veterinary Professional, or similar). Respondents generally held a positive attitude toward stress-reducing veterinary care. Factors that predicted a positive attitude toward stress-reducing veterinary care included attitudes to animals (F = 7.83, p = 0.006) and whether the participant held a certification in stress-reducing veterinary care (F = 4.73, p = 0.031). Professionals with a certification reported higher frequency of use of stress-reducing techniques in general (p = 0.005) and of specific techniques (p = 0.001) in comparison with those without a certification. Commonly reported strategies included handling and interactions, training and distractions, environment, patient management, pharmaceutical interventions, and preventative strategies. Reported barriers to implementation centered on themes of workplace and practice management, colleagues, clients, clinic environment, work-specific conflict, personal abilities, and patients. While stress-reducing veterinary care is important to veterinary professionals, implementing strategies to improve patient welfare as part of routine practice likely still requires significant changes in workplace and industry culture.

Occurrence and reasons for on-farm emergency slaughter of cattle in Norway.

On-farm emergency slaughter (OFES) accounts for more than 4% of all cattle slaughter in Norway. The practice raises questions about animal welfare, public health, and the sustainability of cattle production. The objective of this study was to describe the reasons for OFES as stated on the OFES veterinary certificate. Veterinary certificates for OFES for each animal slaughtered in four chosen slaughterhouses from 4 months (January-April-July-October) in 2018 were transcribed into a database. Secondary data were extracted from national cattle databases and used to supplement primary data with information on breed, sex, and birth date. Breeds were divided into dairy and beef cattle. The reasons for slaughter were reported in text on the certificates and were categorized in the study into 5 reasons: recumbency, mammary gland, obstetrics, locomotion, and other, with a total of 20 subcategories for detail. In total, 2,229 forms were included in the study. Thirteen breeds were represented, although dominated by Norwegian Red within dairy and crossbreed within beef. Of the cattle in the study, 46% were slaughtered for locomotion reasons, thereof almost half for lameness. Furthermore, 23% of the cattle in the study were slaughtered for recumbency and 17% for prolapse or dystocia. A higher proportion of dairy cows were slaughtered because of reasons related to mammary glands than beef cows, 10 and 2%, respectively. Almost 30% of beef cows were slaughtered for obstetrics reasons compared to 12% of dairy cows. The results of this study shed light on the reasons for OFES, which is highly relevant to greater discussions of sustainability in cattle production and animal welfare related to on-farm mortality.

Legal support of veterinary safety in the face of modern risks and threats

The article shows the main risks and threats of a biological, veterinary nature that affect the national security of the Russian Federation in general, and food security in particular. The author examines the content of regulatory legal documents in the field of ensuring food, biological, environmental, veterinary safety. The activities of the World Organization for Animal Health, the International Epizootic Bureau, the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance are reflected. Particular attention is paid to the federal state systems in the field of veterinary safety: “Mercury” (veterinary certification), “Argus” (assessment of the country’s epizootic well-being), “Vesta” (centralized control over the work of laboratories), “Cerberus” (registries of enterprises with a compartment level, enterprises certified for the export of products to the countries of the Customs Union and not included in the CU, etc.), “Cyrano” (suppression of the facts of circulation of potentially unsafe products that do not meet veterinary and sanitary requirements), etc.

Myxozoan Diversity Infecting Ornamental Fishes Imported to Australia

The ornamental fish trade provides a pathway for the global translocation of aquatic parasites. Myxozoa is comprised of highly specialized metazoan parasites of aquatic hosts with a wide host range. Interest in the group has intensified along with the development of aquaculture due to emergent pathogenic myxozoan species in both freshwater and marine environments. However, little is known on myxozoan diversity in the ornamental fish trade. We examined 630 ornamental fish imported from Asia to Australia (representing 24 fish populations, including freshwater and wild caught marine fish species) for myxozoan parasites during 2015. Fish were sampled under Australian quarantine following veterinary certification that they showed no clinical signs of pests and diseases from the exporting country and visual inspection at Australian border control. Myxozoan parasites infected 8 of 12 freshwater populations and 8 of 12 marine fish populations. A total of 12 morphologically distinct Myxobolus spores were detected amongst all goldfish, Carassius auratus populations. Myxidium spores were detected in kissing gourami, Helostoma temminckii, and Ceratomyxa sp. spores were detected in cardinal fishes, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus, Pterapogon kauderni, and Zoramia leptocantha. Kudoa sp. spores were detected in C. quinquelineatus, Sphaeramia nematoptera and Z. leptocantha. Results of this study show that Australian pre-export health requirements and visual inspections do not reliably detect myxozoan infections. Inspection prior to exportation and at border control should account for the highly cryptic nature of myxozoan parasites and consider alternative detection methods to complement inspections at border control.

Streamlining cross-border shipping of live invertebrates.

The logistics of shipping live invertebrates should be straightforward: it requires timely delivery and packaging that ensures survival and confinement. The packaging is the responsibility of the shipper, whose interest is to maintain the product's quality during shipment and to ensure that no specimens escape. Timely delivery relies on the ability of the shipping agent to organise an efficient route of transport and carriers to fulfil their function effectively. This article explores this underserviced sector. While similar logistics capacity exists for other goods that require fast delivery (such as vaccines and fresh food), stakeholders who require live invertebrate shipping often have difficulties in finding transporters able or willing to handle such services. The authors bring examples from biocontrol, showing the current complexity and inconsistency of logistics. For some countries and stakeholders, this issue can be a significant barrier to the growth of a sustainable biocontrol sector. The authors also explore misconceptions (about packaging, liability and paperwork) and unclear rules (such as requiring generic veterinary certificates that are rarely relevant for invertebrates) that may cause express courier companies to refuse carrying live invertebrates. These issues often result in packages not being handled as a priority during transport connections or customs clearance, and significant delivery delays. The authors propose improvements that could streamline transport through changes that fit within existing shipping processes. This article is furthermore intended as a call to transport and inspection stakeholders to use the existing guidance and other resources to support this underdeveloped sector more effectively.

Quality Multiverse of Beef and Pork Meat in a Single Score.

The rationale behind this review is the potential of developing a single score tool for meat quality evaluation based on visual and sensorial assessments of fresh meat. Based on the known sensory wheel concept, the first step was to create quality wheels capturing most common intrinsic and extrinsic quality cues of pork and beef outlined in the latest scientific papers. This resulted in identifying meat color, sensory characteristics and fat content as the most important intrinsic quality cues of fresh beef and pork. Furthermore, the highest number of studies showed the importance of price, certification logos and brand for beef quality evaluation. According to recent articles, price, breed, animal welfare and a veterinary certificate are the most important extrinsic attributes for pork consumers. The second step was to develop a single-score tool named the “Meat quality index”. It has been developed in line with published approaches of different total quality index concepts used in the food sector, providing insights into its application in the meat sector. As a result, this review proposes a unique approach in using quality index application, through the consumer’s preferences aspect of fresh meat.

Kazakhstan dietary meat market: economic aspects

The goal is to identify the features and prospects for production of dietary meat in Kazakhstan, to reveal the problems that constrain it. Methods – statistical, sociological research, analytical. Results – the development of poultry and rabbit breeding industries is shown. Additional opportunities for expanding the dietary meat market are analyzed: growing ostriches, quails, turkeys, etc. The paper assesses the export and import of poultry meat and by-products, the dynamics of poultry farming indicators over a number of years. A comparative analysis of the efficiency of breeding cattle and ostriches has been carried out. The reasons hindering the expansion of production of dietary meat are summarized: competitive advantages of producing countries in CIS and abroad; historically developed mentality of the population; low level of advertizing; lack of veterinary certification for ostrich and rabbit meat, bird flu; insignificant interest from investors. Conclusions – there is a need for effective public support for the development of the industry on the basis of concessional lending to entrepreneurship, tax exemption for enterprises during the formation of this type of business, public assistance in the field of product certification; support for R&D by investor to empower the industry; its modernization, equipping with the latest equipment, improving technologies for obtaining environmentally friendly organic products. The production of dietary meat is economically profitable and has the potential for its comprehensive distribution on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Non‐tariff measures and productivity of Ukrainian food‐processing firms

AbstractUsing detailed data on veterinary, ecological, sanitary, phytosanitary and mandatory certification measures, this paper studies the effect of non‐tariff measures (NTMs) on firm productivity in the food‐processing industry through forward and backward linkages. Using quantity and value of output at product level, we calculate and compare quantity‐ and revenue‐based measures of total factor productivity (TFP). Exploiting the episode of NTM liberalisation in Ukraine in 2008–2012, we find that NTMs on intermediate inputs have a negative effect on quantity‐based TFP. Other trade policy variables, including input tariffs and output NTMs also negatively influence productivity. The effect on the revenue‐based TFP is weaker due to price and quality adjustments. Interacting changes in input NTMs with import intensity prior to trade liberalisation, we find that firms that used imported inputs more intensively tend to have lower long‐run TFP growth.

Evaluasi Penerapan Good Manufacturing Practice dan Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure pada Rumah Pemotongan Hewan Unggas di Bogor

Microbial contamination in chicken meat is caused by unsanitary practices during slaughtering in poultry slaughtering house. Poultry slaughtering house need to apply Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure (SSOP) system to produce the standard microbial requirements of meat. This study was aimed to evaluate the implementation of GMP and SSOP and categorize 30 slaughtering houses located in Bogor. Observation was carried out in 4 modern slaughtering houses (RPH-U) and 26 traditional slaughtering houses (TPH-U). Parameter evaluation was determined based on the Indonesian national standard SNI 01-6160-1999 and the veterinary control certificates which consisted of eight aspects of GMP and six aspects of SSOP. The categorization was clustered in five levels. The results showed that modern slaughtering houses were categorized into 1st and 2nd level, whilst traditional slaughtering houses were categorized into 2nd and 3rd level. The highest incompliance of GMP in modern slaughtering house was the waste treatment aspect (31%) and in traditional slaughtering house was the cold storage presence aspect (95%). The highest incompliance of SSOP in modern slaughtering house was the sanitation facilities and avoiding cross-contamination aspect (21%) and in traditional slaughtering house was the cleanliness of food contact surface aspect (97%). There are some recommendations for improvement the fulfillment of GMP and SSOP aspects based on the critical parameters. Keywords: chicken meat, Good Manufacturing Practice, modern slaughteringhouse, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure, standard slaughteringhouses

Effect of an advanced degree on veterinary technician salary in the United States.

To compare the salaries of certified veterinary technicians with an associate's degree to those with a bachelor's or a master's degree. 1,289 credentialed veterinary technicians in the United States. Credentialed veterinary technicians were asked to complete an online questionnaire in the fall of 2018 administered by veterinary technician associations and accredited veterinary technology institutions. Additional links to the survey were published on various social media sources. Mean ± SD hourly pay rate for all respondents was $20.24 ± 6.33. Weighted mean pay rate for those with an associate's degree was $19.93, with a bachelor's degree was $22.37, and with a master's degree was $27.55. Factors positively influencing veterinary technician salary were years of experience as a licensed veterinary technician, level of education, gender, veterinary technician specialist certification, and years worked for current employer. Years of experience as a licensed veterinary technician, level of education, gender, veterinary technician specialist certification, and years with current employer affected pay rate for credentialed veterinary technicians in the United States.

Perceptions and practices among Zambian sheep and goat traders concerning small ruminant health and disease.

Trade in animals and animal products is a key factor in the transmission of infectious diseases. Livestock traders play an important role in this process, yet there is little knowledge of traders’ perceptions of animal disease or their associated actions. The aim of this study was to investigate perceptions and practices of Zambian small ruminant traders with regard to sheep and goat health and disease. It also analysed how existing perceptions and practices might affect risks of disease transmission through trade. A case study was performed at the two largest small livestock markets in Zambia: the Lusaka market in the capital and the Kasumbalesa market near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. Semi-structured interviews with 47 traders performed in April-May and September 2018 represent the core material. Zambian small ruminant traders frequently trade animals that have clinical signs of disease, either because they appear unaware or indifferent to the associated risks, experience financial constraints or assign responsibility for disease prevention to other value chain actors. In their decision about whether or not to sell a visibly sick small ruminant, traders appear to consider whether the clinical sign is perceived as ‘natural’ or the result of an illness, whether the buyer is aware of the animal’s health condition, and whether the animal is sold for consumption or breeding purposes. Traders appear to regard the veterinary certificate required to transport small ruminants in Zambia as proof of health, placing the responsibility for potential disease in traded animals on the veterinary authorities. In their description of a model trader, taking good care of and being sensitive to customer needs was emphasized, indicating that an efficient way to encourage traders to change their behaviour is to influence customer demands. In contrast to the focus in previous studies on identifying and filling knowledge gaps, the present study show that lack of knowledge is not central to why traders engage in disease-transmitting behaviour. Greater awareness of other reasons for certain perceptions and practices could lead to the formulation of risk communication strategies and mitigation measures that are relevant for the local context, as well as alternative strategies for changing trader behaviour.

Use of the standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health in veterinary certificates.

International trade in animals and animal products results in economic, social and scientific benefits. The risk of the transmission of diseases that affect both animal and human health through the movement of animals and animal products can be controlled by import health requirements. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is recognised by the World Trade Organization as the standard-setting body for international animal health standards covering the safe trade of animals and animal products. To ensure the safe trade of animals and animal products, without unnecessary restrictions, countries should harmonise their import health requirements with OIE standards. Governments should refer to the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Aquatic Animal Health Code, Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals, and Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals, standards that have been robustly developed to account for countries' differences in animal health status. Nevertheless, any determination of equivalence or requirement to achieve a higher level of protection should be based on risk analysis. Even though the use of OIE standards in veterinary certificates has benefits, there are several challenges that countries may encounter, such as legislative processes or inter-agency controls slowing down the flexibility of adopting import standards. Some countries may also encounter difficulties in meeting the standards due to operational practicalities. Although private standards have not been significantly involved in regulating animal health, this may present challenges to the universality and fairness of international standards in the future. Lastly, it is important to stay up to date with technology, such as electronic certification, that enhances the certification system for international trade to ensure the authenticity and efficiency of certification.

ECertification (eCert).

Veterinary certificates have been an integral component of animal and animal product trade for many years. These certificates are agreed to by trading partners during bilateral or multilateral negotiations on the trade of animals and animal products, and provide assurance that goods are free from specific diseases. Many countries seek to implement or adopt a more streamlined and secure method of information exchange, with some implementing the electronic exchange of certificates for cross-border trade. Such an exchange of data has many advantages over its paper counterpart, including a streamlined business process, better accessibility to information (particularly in advance of shipment arrival) and the reduction of fraudulent certificates. Although there are some challenges related to this initiative and important considerations to be taken into account for its implementation, many countries are becoming aware of its efficiencies, leading to more productive and mutually beneficial trading-partner relationships.

National official assurance systems for international trade in animals and animal products, with reference to the standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health.

In the context of trade, national official assurance systems are the mechanism through which countries provide official assurance to other countries that their products are safe to trade. Regardless of the form in which it is conveyed, an official assurance, for the most part, is a statement from one competent authority to another about the conformity of a consignment with agreed requirements. Effectively, one government is providing a level of guarantee to the other government about matters such as the disease or pest status that exists nationally or regionally and/ or about the risk management activities that have been undertaken as relevant to the traded consignment. Accordingly, the degree of confidence that the importing competent authority has in the ethics, competence and capability of the exporting country's competent authority is central to how much trust the importing country places in the official assurances from the exporting country. The World Organisation for Animal Health Terrestrial Animal Health Code and Aquatic Animal Health Code (Section 5 of both) set out veterinary certificate requirements relating to animal health and zoonoses for both importing and exporting countries engaging in the trade of animals and animal products. These requirements are supplemented by the guidance developed by the Codex Committee on Food Inspection and Certification Systems, which covers the inspection and certification system requirements related to food safety and other non-health-related technical matters (e.g. composition, grade or organic status), as relevant to the international trade in food. This review discusses the need for countries to further align the form and content of their official assurance requirements with the relevant international standards and recommendations. It also notes, however, that there is currently a paucity of recommended standardised attestations. It highlights the increasing movement towards electronic certification and the potential this brings for further amalgamation of different certificate types and the coordination of border clearance processes. The basic components and principles that apply to national official assurance systems are identified and explained. Lastly, future trends and challenges for national official assurance systems, such as the impact of electronic commerce and regional distribution hubs, and the increasing recognition of containment zones and/or risk mitigations, such as treatments, are discussed.

Potential to export fresh pork in the event of an African swine fever outbreak in the United States

An African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in the United States would result in the loss of fresh pork exports and a decrease in pig price. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code provides a potential opportunity for packers, working with swine production systems and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), to maintain a significant portion of exports during an ASF outbreak through a combination of producer biosecurity and surveillance, packers only accepting pigs from production systems that meet specific requirements, and the USDA developing veterinary certificates for export stating the pork shipment meets the OIE requirements.

Current use and development of fish vaccines in China

In the past decades, the aquaculture industry made great progress in China, which contributes more than 70% yield of the world's farmed fish. Along with the rapid growth of fish production, increased emergence and outbreak of numbers of diseases pose harm to the aquaculture industry and food safety. From the efficient, safe, environmental and ethical aspects, vaccines is definitely the most appropriate and focused method to control different kinds of fish diseases. In China, researchers have done huge works on the fish vaccines, and so far six domestic aquatic vaccine products along with one imported aquatic vaccine have obtained the national veterinary medicine certificate. More critically, some new vaccines have also entered the field experiment stage and showed broad market prospects. In the present review, authors summarize seven aquatic vaccines, including the live vaccine against grass carp hemorrhagic disease, the inactivated vaccine against Aeromonas hydrophila sepsis in fish, the live vaccine against Edwardsiella tarda in turbot, the anti-idiotypic antibody vaccine against Vibrio alginolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus, and E. tarda in Japanese flounder, the cell-cultured inactivated vaccine against grass carp hemorrhagic disease, the inactivated vaccine against fish infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV), and the genetically engineered live vaccine against V. anguillarum in turbot. Moreover, different delivery routes of fish vaccines are also compared in this review, along with differential fish immune response after vaccination. All these efforts will ultimately benefit the healthy and sustainable development of aquaculture industry in China.

From white coat and gumboots to virtual reality and digitalisation: where is veterinary medicine now?

The paper reviews the current role of information and communication technologies in veterinary medicine, management of animal health, animal production and food safety worldwide and discusses the shift from recognising the digital revolution as a novelty to accepting it as a norm. Due to the diversity in veterinary medicine, it is unlikely that information and communication technologies will fully substitute the need for field veterinarians in direct contact with animals, farms, diseases, food production and food products. However, information and communication technology has a growing role in our work and provides opportunities to exploit new technologies for professional and societal affirmation. Consumers, trade and regulations drive demands on veterinary medicine, reflected in our increased focus on prevention and early recognition of animal diseases and food safety issues through output-based and integrated monitoring systems and shared responsibility between public and private sectors. Simultaneously, information and communication technology has been incorporated within these demands and so now has roles in: veterinary clinical practice, heard health management, animal health databases, traceability of animals and their products, trade and veterinary certification, animal disease data analysis, tools for veterinary education and animal health diagnostics. The symbiosis of bio- and information technologies has opened a new era in health and food production, providing a novel chance for veterinarians to make a significant leap in their professional development, achievable only through strategic and active participation as leaders and collaborators.