Pillen Family Farms is a family-owned, farrow to finish company with farms in Nebraska and South Dakota. The Pillen Family Farms’ business model has minimal contract partners. As a result, this position will enjoy interacting with Pillen Team Members who are all striving to achieve the same goals. Pillen Family Farms is seeking a Commercial Field Veterinarian. This position will be engaged in herd health monitoring, establishing herd health protocols, and assessing biosecurity principles and processes. This position will require being in the field 80% of the time, with occasional overnight stays.
Fundamental Responsibilities
Regulatory
- Prescribe and control all water and feed grade med use including VFD’s.
- Write and coordinate Certificate of Veterinary Inspections for Nebraska and South Dakota.
Biosecurity
- Understand, implement and reinforce Pillen biosecurity standards.
- Continuously evaluate and research best biosecurity practices.
- Update and maintain the Pillen Health Status and Downtime report.
- Coordinate routine disease surveillance and monitoring.
- Establish action plans from health challenges.
- Manage and give oversight to herd vaccination program.
Clinical Skills
- Monitor overall herd health using science-based processes and procedures.
- Conduct routine herd visits in a timely manner and communicate the findings of those visits to other leadership.
- Exceptional gross pathology skillset.
- Ability to accurately collect diagnostic samples for timely interpretation and diagnoses, follow through and action plan.
- Effectively teach swine caretakers the definition of clinical abnormalities allowing them to rapidly identify herd health issues.
- Properly communicate concerns and action plans to the production management team.
- Monitor overall vaccine and medication use, assess techniques, and evaluate the results of various products.
PQA/TQA
- Assess and monitor that all sites and practices are PQA compliant.
- Train swine caretakers and vaccination crews on the appropriate storage, preparation, mixing and dilution techniques for oral and injectable vaccines.
- Ensure that swine caretakers are using proper acceptable euthanasia techniques.
Admin
- Approve vendor invoices while monitoring antibiotic and biologic budgets.
- Manage pharmaceutical company relationships.
- Participate and represent Pillen in industry animal care groups
- Participate in continuous education programs
Requirements
- A DVM degree with an emphasis in swine production, along with experience in the swine field.
- Licensed, or ability to obtain license, in both Nebraska and South Dakota.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Possess a passion and belief in a team approach and the ability and willingness to work with a diverse type of skill sets in a team setting.
To Apply
If interested in this position, please submit your resume to sarahsp@pillenfamilyfarms.com. We will be happy to set up interviews in Columbus, Nebraska or at the Annual AASV Meeting in New Orleans from February 27 – March 1, 2016.