Livestock or large animal specialty vets travel to farms and ranches to administer care to animals in need. To work in this field, you'll need to complete vet school, then do a residency in large animal medicine. Explore training possibilities and the career outlook for livestock veterinarians.
What Kind of Livestock Veterinary Degrees Are Available to Me?
While you won't be able to find any degree programs specific to livestock veterinary science, there are a few other options available to you. If you've completed a bachelor's degree program that included extensive coursework in animal nutrition, chemistry, biology and physics, you can enroll in a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. These 4-year programs may allow you to choose a focus area and corresponding clinical rotations in fields such as equine or large animal medicine.
Graduates may then go on to complete residency programs in a specialty like large animal medicine, large animal surgery or equine internal medicine. During these 3-year programs, you may conduct ultrasounds, treat musculoskeletal disorders or perform emergency surgeries in a university's large animal hospital.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Residency Options</b></td><td>Large animal medicine, large animal surgery, equine internal medicine</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Degree Options</b></td><td>Master's or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Online Options</b></td><td>Individual courses available online for continuing education</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)*</b></td><td> $99,250 (for veterinarians)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)*</b></td><td> 16% (for veterinarians)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---AreThereAnyOtherOptions">Are There Any Other Options?</h3><p>If you're interested in a post-graduate degree program, you may want to consider a master's degree or doctorate in large animal clinical sciences or veterinary medical science. These 2-3-year programs prepare graduates for research careers in areas like equine medicine or food safety. You'll need a DVM to be admitted.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatAboutOnlinePrograms">What About Online Programs?</h3><p>Due to the hands-on nature of graduate-level training, you probably won't be able to find any programs offered online. You may be able to take a course for credit towards a post-graduate degree or residency program, but schools offering these online courses are rare. More common are online continuing education courses covering general practice topics such as patient management techniques, opthamology or toxicology.
</p><h3 id="section---HowIsTheJobOutlook">How Is the Job Outlook?</h3><p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 16% job growth was projected for veterinarians during the 2019-2029 decade (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). This is due to the growing number of pet owners who want alternative or advanced care for their pets. Employment opportunities for livestock and large animal veterinarians may also be plentiful because there is less competition to work in this specialty.</p>
