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Dr. Hunter Smith of Smith Equine and Veterinary Service in Carthage, Mo., says proper nutrition, vaccinations and deworming are some of the basic needs to keep livestock healthy.
An Advocate for Animal Health By Rachel Harper
Dr. Hunter Smith believes proper nutrition and care are critical for herd health Hunter has always enjoyed working Dr. Hunter Smith and his wife Emily Smith own and operate with cattle and holds a special interest Smith Equine and Veterinary Ser- for horses. He worked with a veterinarvices in Carthage, Mo. Hunter is ian in Oklahoma and last summer the a 2019 graduate of Oklahoma State Uni- Smiths started their small cattle herd versity College of Veterinary Medicine, after moving back to Carthage. “They were my grandpa’s and he was and Emily is a 2016 graduate of Northern ready to get out of the cattle business, so Oklahoma College. Emily is a registered nurse at Mercy the timing worked out great,” Hunter said. Along with their cattle herd, they have Hospital in Carthage, Mo., and she manages the office and financial work three horses on their farm. The veterinary clinic, which opened in for the veterinary clinic. They recently 2019, is located on their farm, but offers welcomed their first daughter Ellie. At a young age, Hunter had an interest mostly mobile services. It is a well-mainin veterinary medicine. Growing up, he tained facility with newer equipment to raised cattle and performance horses, and provide up-to-date services for producers. was involved in team roping. After high The clinic offers services for large animals, school, he attended Northeast Oklahoma including but not limited to portable and A&M, where he was on the rodeo team. digital x-rays, ultrasounds, upper airway “While I was there, I met a few differ- endoscopy, equine annual exams and routine dental care and annual herd ent veterinarians through health. They offer a haul-in facility my classmates and found for equine and hope to expand their what they did interesting.” cattle facilities. His freshman year at NEO Hunter is a firm believer in adhe recalled a phrase that his equate nutrition and prevenprofessors said, “If you enjoy Carthage, Mo. tative health for animals. He what you do, you will never believes nutrition benefits work a day in your life,” and the producer by reducing that has always stuck with him. Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
the number of animals in need of treatment, and decreases the risk of pregnancy loss, allowing for a larger calf crop. When it comes to vaccinations and herd health for cattle, prevention for respiratory diseases and pregnancy loss is important. “Calves need adequate protection when they are stressed and going through the stockyards and shipping,” he said. “It’s generally most beneficial to deworm animals during spring and fall because that’s when worms thrive in the environment the most.” For equine, it’s better to have fecal exams prior to deworming and only deworm those that are high shedders. This method will help cut down on the increasing resistance seen to our current dewormers. Producers also might consider vaccinating their herd against scours in calves. Equine vaccinations should include prevention against both core and risk based. Core vaccines include Rabies, West Nile Virus, Tetanus and Eastern/Western Equine Encephalomyelitis. Risk based vaccines include Strangles, Equine Influenza, Rhinopneumonitis and many others. Many of these are transmitted horse to horse and may be considered when horses travel or come into contact with outside horses. It is best to vaccinate horses in the spring before the vector season begins; however, horses involved in a lot of traveling in the winter months may want to consider boosters in the fall. “Always make sure that any bull that is not a virgin bull gets trich tested before introducing them into your herd,” Hunter said. Annual exams for equine consist of an overall health examination including fecal float to check for worms, vaccinations and routine dental care. The clinic also offers annual Coggins tests to check for Equine Infectious Anemia as well as x-rays and other preventative care and treatment. “The most rewarding part about being a veterinarian is that I get to treat animals and watch them get better knowing that without intervention, they wouldn’t be able to heal. It’s often difficult because sometimes animals are unfortunately beyond help and they have to be put down,” Hunter said. FEBRUARY 3, 2020
