Long-time Carlsbad vet appointed by Gov. Martinez to state board

In the southern part of the state, some fear the unique challenges of ranchers and livestock owners are often ignored by the greater New Mexico veterinarian community.

As the industry shifted away from large, agriculture-base animals, to treating smaller domesticated pets, the ranchers that make up an essential aspect of the local and statewide economy must continue to be part of the conversation said Samantha Uhrig.

A livestock vet in Carlsbad since 2006, Uhrig was appointed by Gov. Susana Martinez to the state’s Board of Veterinary Medicine, as announced in a Friday news release from the Governor’s Office.

The board meets quarterly, with Uhrig’s first active role to be in January.

She said the needs of southern New Mexico can be unique compared to the rest of the state, and Uhrig hopes to address them in her new post. 

“The main thing is to make sure we get equal representation throughout the state,” Uhrig said. “We need representation for people like me who do livestock. We’ve seen less and less people who work on livestock.”

Uhrig said her only agenda is ensuring livestock needs are met as the board rules on complaints against vets throughout the state, while also discussing the issues and helping direct policy.

“It’s going to be dealing with what issues are already there,” she said. “And making sure the southern part of the state is represented.”

Complaints against vets, she said, are to be taken very seriously.

“There’s going to be some instances where their licenses are at stake,” Uhrig said. “It’s important to be fair. That’s not something to take lightly.”

Livestock veterinarians deal with many topics related to cattle, Uhrig said, specifically the recent veterinary feed directive, which regulated ranchers’ access to antibiotics by requiring that food producers and handlers have a prescription.

“It’s tightened regulations on antibiotics,” Uhrig said. “That’s created some headaches for owners.”

Another essential function of the board, she said, is communicating the issues to private vet practitioners, who might struggle to stay informed while running their business.

“Veterinary medicine is constantly changing,” Uhrig said. “It’s important. As a private practitioner, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day business. It’s easy to be out of the loop. Not only are we addressing the issues, but need to communicate to the vet community. I don’t want anyone getting blindsided."

Another serious issue to consider, Uhrig said, is the spread of diseases among livestock animals that can cripple entire industries and ruin local livelihoods, especially when animals are moved within New Mexico or across state lines.

“Those have a tremendous impact on livestock movement,” Uhrig said of disease outbreaks. “Those issues need to be looked at from a variety of perspectives.”

Another challenge Uhrig said the board could face was the recent merger with the New Mexico Animal Sheltering Board, which rules on and directs policy for animal shelters throughout the state.

She said she hopes the two boards can work together.

“I’ll have to learn more about it,” Uhrig said. “There’s going to be issues as to how those boards work together.”

The owner of Desert Willow Veterinary Services and executive director of Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Uhrig holds a Master of Science in Integrated Livestock Management and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.

She also is one of 25 vets across the state appointed to the state’s Agriculture Livestock Incident Response Team, which formulates and implements policy aimed at mitigating potentially devastating crises in the industry.

But overall, Uhrig said supporting wildlife means mitigating human impact.

“I think it’s important for us to support a healthy ecosystem,” she said. “Wherever we are. As our population is growing, we are moving out to wild habitats. We have to be responsible. Many of these animals that are brought in (to the rehab center) are a direct result of human impact.

“If we can do some small thing to help reduce that impact, that’s how we’re protecting the animals. For our little corner of the state, we do a lot.”

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.