Mills takes over as NZVA president
Taranaki veterinarian Dr Rob Mills is the new president of New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA).
A new report into the education of veterinarians has revealed a sustainability crisis within the sector.
The Rethinking Veterinary Education report from Veterinary Schools of Australia and New Zealand, released last month, is the first such report into veterinary education in over 20 years. It details a series of factors, including the funding models of veterinary education, sustainability in domestic and agricultural practice, and retention of veterinarians in both urban and rural areas that could lead to a severe crisis.
New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) president Kate Hill says the sector is facing a number of challenges currently.
“We’ve got a global veterinary shortage and then this review highlights the fact that, as well as the workforce shortage, we’ve got the increasing demand of veterinary services in New Zealand across the whole sector,” Hill told Rural News.
She says that, additionally, the report highlights there is inadequate funding of veterinary schools to meet the cost of teaching future vets.
The report states that veterinary courses are the most expensive professional courses for universities to deliver. It says that the funding per veterinary student to universities from government grants and student fees only covers approximately twothirds of the average estimated total delivery cost per student.
Additionally, it states that incremental opportunities to reduce costs have largely been exhausted and more strategic, structural reforms are required.
Hill says that compounding the cost of educating veterinary students is the salaries those students are then provided when they qualify.
“The veterinary salaries, once they’ve graduated, are becoming uncompetitive with other professions. Other professions have been increasing and the veterinary salaries haven’t been increasing as much,” she adds.
Hills says that building a new veterinary school will not solve the issues at all. “The ultimate change is to improve the education crisis and try and be graduating more veterinarians, have a well-funded university model and happy, healthy university staff and students and veterinarians.”
Australian dairy farmers supplying Fonterra are getting an opening weighted average milk price of A$8.60/kgMS for the new season or around NZ$9.26/kgMS - NZ74c less than New Zealand suppliers, based on the current exchange rate.
Taranaki veterinarian Dr Rob Mills is the new president of New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA).
Input costs can make or break a season for farmers and electricity is one of the largest expenses.
Zespri says global sales for the 2024-25 season topped $5 billion on the back of strong demand and market returns.
Massey University is returning to the Fieldays with a future-focused, solution-driven theme, showcasing research that delivers practical advancements in agricultural efficiency, sustainability and longevity.
Newly appointed National Fieldays chief executive Richard Lindroos says his team is ready, excited and looking forward to delivering the four-day event next month.
OPINION: The Hound hears that tension was in the air at the recent Silver Fern Farms AGM, with the board…
OPINION: The ongoing saga of the quality of school lunches continues.