ACTA VET. BRNO 2005, 74: 455-461

 

Public Service Veterinarians Worldwide: a Quantitative Analysis

V. KOUBA

Former Chief, Animal Health Service, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Editor-in-Chief, FAO/WHO/OIE Animal Health Yearbook

Abstract

   Historically first global analysis of public service professional veterinary manpower (government veterinary officials at central and local levels) was based on available quantitative data reported by individual countries to international organizations. The analysis begins with a time series of reported number of public service veterinarians starting in 1983  (65,930).  In 2003 the number reached 209,888 representing 27.96 % of all reported veterinarians in the world. Average ratio private/public veterinarians was 1.7850 and average ratio public/private veterinarians was 0.5602. Global average values per public service veterinarian  in 2000 were as follows: 31,522 inhabitants, 13,368 people depending for their livelihood on agriculture and 6,867 people economically active in agriculture; 680 km2 of land and 71 km2 of arable land; 6,923 cattle, 870 buffaloes, 313 horses, 5,421 sheep, 3,719 goats, 4,711 pigs and 74,581 chickens; 9,221 livestock units; slaughtered 1,445 cattle, 2,517 sheep, 1,024 goats and 6,026 pigs; production of 1,211 t  meat, 2,551 t cow milk and 267 t hen eggs; internationally traded 43 cattle, 83 sheep, 80 pigs, 2 horses, 3,910 chickens and 120 t total meat. The analysis is complemented by the examples of the countries with the highest number of public service veterinarians,  with the highest  ratio private/public veterinarians and  with the highest average values of animal export per public service veterinarian. The results documenting limited ability of public veterinary service to cope with animal population health represent a basis for future comparative studies in different territories.

 

   The availability of competent  professional veterinary manpower in government services is of primary importance for the initiation and successful application of strategies, measures and methods to promote, protect and restore the  health of animal populations and to protect human population health against zoonoses. Public veterinary service is irreplaceable driving force for effective transfer of scientific research results and of accumulated experience into animal population health practice at territorial, national and international levels. This paper tries to evaluate for the first time global government professional veterinary manpower situation using available data as reported by individual countries to international organizations. The global information system on professional veterinary manpower was established in 1983 within the framework of a joint venture between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Office of Epizootics (OIE). They produced the FAO/WHO/OIE Animal Health Yearbook published by the FAO in Rome.  In 1996, the OIE in Paris took over this role. First quantitative general analysis of global veterinary human resources, however  not considering individual countries,  was published  by K o u b a  2003.

Materials and methods

This study employed available data on government professional veterinary manpower  published in relevant international yearbooks (F A O 1983-1995, O I E 1996-2004). For the first time global collecting and disseminating data on government professional veterinary manpower was introduced by K o u b a 1983 when he was the Editor-in-Chief of the FAO/WHO/OIE Animal Health Yearbook  and FAO Animal Health Officer (Veterinary Intelligence). He divided original reporting of “total number of veterinarians” into several categories including “government veterinary officials at central and local levels” (hereafter “public service veterinarians”). Simultaneously he introduced the collection of data on the number of private veterinarians, veterinarians in laboratories, universities and training institutions, of other veterinarians as well as of data on the number of technical personnel (animal health assistants, animal health auxiliaries and food hygiene technicians). Presented global analysis was complemented by examples from the selected countries to facilitate the comparison with other ones. The priority was given to main exporting countries having the major influence on international trade representing potential channel for animal disease export. For more detailed analysis were used 2000 and  2003data according their availability. Not all countries sent relevant reports for all the years in consideration (examples see in Table 1). To obtain the most complete global data, the most recent reports available from those countries were used to substitute the missing information.

 

For the calculation of relative values of some indicators was used  FAO Statistical Databases   (F A O 2002) as the source of data on farm animal populations, their production, land use, human populations, international trade in animals and animal products. Following indicators were selected:

 

- global growth of reported number of public service veterinarians,  private veterinarians and total veterinarians during the period from 1983 to 2003 using differences in absolute and relative values,  time series and the trend expressed by least squares regression line value;

 

- proportions of reported number in 2003  of public service veterinarians, private veterinarians, veterinarians working in diagnostic and research laboratories and in  training/education institutions as well as of other veterinarians (working outside of veterinary service, retired, etc.); ratios between public service  and private veterinarians;

 

- global averages per one public service veterinarian in the year 2000 using following criteria:

number of inhabitants, territory size, number of farm animals, number of livestock units (using following conversion rates: cattle  = 0.7;  buffalo = 1; horse = 1; mule/ass; = 0.8; camel = 1.1; pig = 0.25; sheep 0.1;  goat = 0.1; chicken = 0.01), number of slaughtered farm animals, size of livestock production,  exported live animals (heads and monetary value) and exported animal products (weight and monetary value).

 

The analysis is complemented by the identification of the countries with the major number of public service veterinarians and  by examples of public veterinary service professional staff reduction. For data processing was employed software package EPIZOO, version 4.0 (www.cbox.cz/vaclavkouba/software/software.zip). For the calculation of the livestock units was used EPIZOO subprogramme 11.11.7 b.

 

Results

 

a) Total number of reported veterinarians increased during 1983-2003 period by 252 % (from 240,404 to 605,306) while public service veterinarians only by 128 % (from 65,930 to 150,429) and private veterinarians by 339 % (from 79,036 to 267,831).  Detailed time series see in Table 1. The 1983-2003 trend of reported number of public service veterinarians expressed in time series regression line (least squares method) was y = - 7057007.5 + 3607.48 x with correlation coefficient = 0.8302. The trend of reported number of private veterinarians expressed in time series regression line was y = - 20035214 + 10147.45 x with correlation coefficient = 0.9630. Global growth of the number of public service veterinarians was relatively very slow when considering that much more intensive government supervision and much more rigorous preventive and disease control measures were required due to rapid increase of the trade in animals and animal products facilitating the spread and globalization of communicable diseases (K o u b a 2003).

 

b) Global number of public service veterinarians reported by individual countries for the year 2003 (including the most recently available figures for those countries which did not submit actual reports) reached 209,888 (27.96 % of all reported veterinarians in the world). The reported number of veterinarians employed at laboratories, universities and training institutions was 77,439 (10.32 %)  and reported number of veterinarians in private service reached 374,645 (49.90 %). See Table 2. Reported number of public service veterinarians in selected countries significantly influencing the global values see in Table 3. Among the countries with highest reported number belonged China - 43,900, India - 31,495 and Egypt - 19,750.

 

c) Global  ratios between numbers of public service veterinarians and private veterinarians  reported in 2003 reached following values: ratio public/private veterinarians = 0.5602   and ratio private/public veterinarians = 1.7850. Ratio public/total veterinarians = 0.2796 and ratio total/public veterinarians = 3.5769.  Ratio of public veterinarians to veterinarians in laboratories, universities and training institutions reached  2.7104 and  inverse ratio was 0.3690. Among the countries with the major value of ratio private/public veterinarians belonged: Bulgaria – 17.3636, USA – 16.1787 and Australia – 11.9492. More examples see in Table 4.

 

d) Global average numbers of inhabitants and  size of land area per one public service veterinarian in the year 2000 were as follows: 31,522 inhabitants; 13,368 people depending for their livelihood on agriculture; 6,867 people economically active in agriculture; 680 km2 of land; 71 km2 of arable land suitable for crop production and 7 km2 of land under permanent crop cultivation.

 

e) Global average numbers of animals per one public service veterinarian in the year 2000 were as follows: 6,932 cattle, 870 buffaloes, 313 horses, 5,421 sheep, 3,719 goats, 4,711 pigs and 74,581 chickens. Global average number of livestock units  per one public service veterinarian  was 9,221. Among the countries with the highest average number of livestock units per one public service veterinarian belonged Australia (63,121), New Zealand (57,244) and  USA (46,886). More information see in Table 5.

 

f) Global average numbers of animals slaughtered in abattoirs during the year 2000 per one public service veterinarian were as follows: 1,445 cattle, 2,517 sheep, 1,024 goats and 6,026 pigs. Among the countries with the highest average number of slaughtered farm animals per one public service veterinarians belonged  New Zealand (17,210  cattle, 160,144 sheep and 3,779 pigs = 181,133 animals), Australia (17,059  cattle, 62,203 sheep and 9,890 pigs = 93,152 animals), USA (16,780 cattle, 1,575 sheep and 43,797 pigs = 62,152 animals), Netherlands (6,330 cattle, 2,140 sheep and 52,292 pigs = 60,763 animals) and South African Republic (10,739 cattle, 42,450 sheep and 7,202 pigs = 60,391 animals).

 

g) Global average volume of livestock production during the year 2000 per one public service veterinarian was as follows: 1,211 tonnes (t) of total meat, 295 t beef/veal, 40 t mutton/lamb, 20 t goat meat, 467 t pig meat, 230 t poultry meat, 2,551 t cow milk and 267 t  hen eggs. Among the countries with the highest average of produced meat per one public service veterinarian belonged USA (15,952 t), Netherlands (7,930 t), Australia (7,085 t), New Zealand (6,776 t) and Canada (5,639 t).

 

h) Global average number and monetary value of internationally traded live animals during the year 2000 per one public service veterinarians were as follows: 43 cattle (US$ 21,617), 83 sheep (US$ 4,126), 80 pigs (US$ 6,638), 2 horses (US$ 9,226) and 3,910 chickens (US$ 4,029). Among the countries with the highest average monetary value of exported animals per one public service veterinarian belonged Canada (US$ 1,573,733), France (US$ 1,281,685) and Australia (US$ 797,134).

 

i) Global average volume and monetary value of internationally traded animal products during the year 2000 per one public service veterinarian were as follows: 120 t total meat and meat products (US$ 232,819), 10 t beef/veal (US$ 20,028), 5 t mutton/lamb (US$ 11,286), 12 t pork (US$ 18,638) and 31 t chicken meat (US$ 31,609). Among the countries with the highest average monetary value of exported meat per one public service veterinarian belonged Netherlands (US$ 10,344,361), New Zealand (US$ 8,961,854), Denmark (US$ 6,476,711) and  Australia (US$ 5,786,006).

 

j) Countries where monetary value of exported animals and animal products in 2000 was higher than one million US$ per one public service veterinarian: New Zealand – 14,783,812; Netherlands – 14,480,214; Australia – 8,285,069; Denmark – 7,372,482; France – 6,207,885;  Canada – 5,535,061; USA – 3,728,074; United Kingdom – 2,128,801 and Germany – 1,776,298. (Tab. 5).

 

k) Comparative analyses of data between different years demonstrated that in many countries public service professional veterinary staff was reduced. Examples:  Australia (1989 – 821; 2003 – 512), Brazil ( 2001 – 15,260; 2003 – 2,867), Canada (1984 – 1080; 2003 – 664),  Indonesia ( 1998 – 2,675; 2003 – 735), Kenya ( 1996 – 1,053; 2003 – 531),  Spain ( 2000 – 6,936; 2003 -  2,248) and USA ( 1995 – 4,323; 2003 – 2,782).

 

Discussion

 

    Not all reported data were complete and systematically updated. Therefore, the results have to be understood as the estimates, however very approximate to the reality. The paper is dedicated to global aspects complemented by examples from selected countries. The average values of selected indicators  reflect, to  certain extent, the workload and responsibility of government veterinary officials and their ability to cope with particular animal health tasks and problems. The role of these professionals is to protect the interests of the whole society which is different to profit-oriented private veterinarians.

 

    Due to the fact that this kind of global analysis is historically the first one, it could not be compared with any similar analysis in previous literature contributions. On the other hand, there were published  many papers dealing only with local  analyses of public veterinary services. In this context they can be mentioned  O I E 2003 compendia, one  on veterinary service organization and one on veterinary institutions,  papers of O z a w a, C h a n g, Y o s h i d a  and  M i c h i n o 2003 providing examples from developed countries and  R w e y e m a m u  and  A s t u d i l l o  2003 commenting on the situation in developing world. These publications support indirectly the results of presented analysis confirming critical shortage of professional veterinary manpower in public services. Without sufficient number of government veterinary officials the national veterinary services cannot cope effectively with animal population health protection, disease surveillance, control, reduction and eradication as well as with national and international trade to avoid pathogens spreading. Weak public service, when comparing average values of relevant indicators per one public service veterinarian, is logically unable to cope adequately with its animal health problems and to supervise effectively all accredited private veterinarians and laboratories. Without systematic control of  accredited veterinarians and laboratories cannot be expected consistent and reliable implementation of their activities on behalf of government (e.g. issuing health guaranteeing documents for export). In many countries, instead of strengthening public veterinary services, the number of their professionals was reduced in spite of steadily increasing needs, size and complexity of the problems related with animal health programmes, food hygiene and rapidly developing national and international animal trade. Not always independent and trustworthy private accredited veterinarians cannot fully replace public service in carrying out all multiplex duties on behalf of the government (G r i f f i t h s  and  K o n i g s h o f e r 1974,  F A O  1991). Of particular concern are relatively very weak public veterinary services in some exporting countries being unable to control effectively the trade and to guarantee the export of only healthy animals and pathogen-free animal products and thus to avoid international disease spread. The analysis documents critical situation in public veterinary service facilitating the globalization of communicable diseases due to  their spreading through insufficiently controlled international trade (K o u b a  2003). Territorial, national and international animal health  programmes and  the applications of  research results cannot be successfully carried out at animal population level without necessary number of properly managed competent public service veterinarians.

 

It is difficult to perform any objective comparison among individual countries. The quantitative criteria without the consideration of qualitative aspects cannot reflect fully public veterinary service ability to cope with their problems. For this purpose it should be taken into account also many different aspects such as: animal and human disease situation and programmes; public health, economic, ecologic, trade and social conditions;  public veterinary service development, its staff size and structure, workload (incl. proportions of field and administrative activities), diagnostic and other facilities, material, financial and legal support, management and organization; size and structure of national and international trade in animals and their products,  etc.

 

 The results of this analysis can provide a departure basis for comparative studies when assessing the trend and  ability of public veterinary services to cope with animal health problems, when planning future veterinary manpower development and for identifying future educational and research needs. Using the year 2000 at the turning point between decades and centuries will facilitate these studies.

 

Note: More information in www.cbox.cz/vaclavkouba/vetmanpower.htm.

 

 

References                             

 

FAO 1956-1995: FAO/WHO/OIE Animal Health Yearbook. FAO,  Rome.

FAO 1991: Guidelines for strengthening animal health services in developing countries. FAO, Rome, 141 pp.

FAO 2002: Statistical Databases (FAOSTAT). FAO, Rome.   (http://apps.fao.org/ - accessed 22 October 2003).

GRIFFITHS, R.B. and KONIGHOFER, H. O. 1974: Standard of Veterinary Services, FAO, Rome, 16 pp.

KOUBA, V. (Editor) 1983: FAO/WHO/OIE Animal Health Yearbook, FAO, Rome,   208 pp.

KOUBA, V. 2003: Globalization of Communicable Diseases of Animals – A Crisis of Veterinary Medicine. Acta Vet. Brno, 72: 453-460    (www.vfu.cz/acta-vet/vol72/453-03.htm).

KOUBA, V. 2003: Quantitative analysis of global veterinary human resources. Rev. sci. tech. Off. Int. Epiz., 2003, 22 (3), 899-908       (www.oie.int/eng/publicat/RT/2203/A_R22311.htm).

OIE 1996-2004: World Animal Health (yearbook). OIE, Paris.

OIE 2003: Veterinary Services: organization, quality assurance, evaluation. Rev.sci.tech.Off.int.Epiz. 22(2), 309 pp.

OIE 2003: Veterinary institutions in the developing world: current status and future needs. Rev.sci.tech.Off.int.Epiz. 23(1),  401 pp.

OZAWA, Y., CHANG, K, YOSHIDA, K. and MICHINO, H. 2003: The present and future organization of Veterinary Services in Asia: the examples of the Republic of Korea and Japan.  Rev.sci.tech.Off.int.Epiz. 22(2): 499-508.

RWEYEMAMU, M.M. and  ASTUDILLO, V.M. 2003: Global perspectives for foot and mouth disease control . Rev.sci.tech.Off.int.Epiz. 21 (3): 765-773.

 

 

Table  1

Number of total, government and private veterinarians in the world as reported

during 1983-2003

================================================================================

Year      Reports         Reported number of veterinarians                Missing major countries

                                 --------------------------------------------

                                 Total            Government     Private

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1983     116              240404             65930             79026                             China(C), USSR(U)

1984     136              260711             96372             81581                                    C,U

1985     151              289969           100057           104679                                    C,U

1986     154              310441           110577           107957                                    C,U

1987     160              333424           118909           124426                                    C,U

1988     165              359501           125087           138481                                    C,U

1989     166              383933           130782           145317                                    C,U

1990     165              403924           120642           166545                                    C,U

1991     169              436701           132342           185615                                    C,U

1992     156              417463           128662           181908                                C,Russia(R)

1993     135              552331           144888           228697                                 R,France

1994     110              520263           141317           215676                                      R

1995     132              565500           154126           229956                                      R

1996     140              524342           151529           206761                                    C,R

1997     152              527074           125173           219692                                    C,R

1998     145              530626           153995           226699                                    C,R

1999     128              490668           156344           212286                                 C,R,USA

2000     136              548660           149561           260923                                    C,R

2001     144              574824           133035           271494                                    C,R

2002     174              645727           196783           306135                                      R    

2003     150              605306           150429           267831                                    C,R

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Table 2

Global number of veterinarians in public service, private service and laboratories/universities

and training institutions as reported in 2003, eventually in previous years

================================================================================

Category              Number reported in 2003        %                Number reported in 2003       %

                                                                                                eventually in previous years

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Public service                    150,429                   24.85                           209,888                     27.96

Private service                   267,831                   44,25                           374,645                     49.90

Labor./training                    62,309                   10,29                             77,439                      10.32

Others                                124,737                   20.61                             88,727                      11.82

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total                                  605,306                 100.00                           750,699                    100.00

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Table 3

Order list of the countries with major number of public service veterinarians as reported in

2003, eventually in previous years

================================================================================

Order    Country                Number              % of all public                  Ratio               Ratio

                                                                       vet. in world                public/total      public/private

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1        China                        43,900                        20.92                        0.3859              0.8767

2        India                         31,495                        15.01                        0.8266             15.9468

3        Egypt                       19,750                          9.41                         0.4759              1.5800

4        Japan                         8,106                          3.85                          0.2638              0.4804

5        Ukraine                     6,967                          3.32                          0.5453              4.3763

6        Italy                          5,648                          2.69                           0.3179              0.5888

7        Cuba                         5,363                          2.56                           0.8099

8        Kazakhstan               3,737                          1.78                           0.4109              0.6976

9        Brazil                        2,867                          1.37                           0.0540              0.0636

10      USA                          2,782                          1.33                           0.0479              0.0618

===============================================================================

Note: Data from Russia not available.

 

Table 4

Order list of the countries with the highest value of the ratio private/public veterinarians in

2003

================================================================================

Order   Country      Number of public   % of all public    Number of private    % of all private            Ratio

                                  veterinarians            vet. in world       veterinarian                vet. in world        private/public

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1          Bulgaria                  99                          0.047                     1,719                           0.4588                17.3636

2          USA                   2,782                          1.325                   45,009                         12.0138                16.1787

3         Australia                512                         0.244                     6,118                           1.6330                11.9492

4         Canada                  664                          0.316                     7,167                           1.9130                10.7937

5         Unit. Kingdom      923                         0.440                     9,945                           2.6545                10.7747

6         France                 1,221                         0.582                   12,933                           3.4521                10.5921

7         Switzerland           165                         0.079                     1,400                            0.3737                  8.4848

8         Austria                  238                         0.113                     1,938                            0.5173                  8.1428

9         Netherlands          458                        0.218                     3,049                             0.8138                  6.6572

10       New Zealand        227                        0.108                     1,198                             0.3198                  5.2775

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Tab. 5

Average values of annual animal export, animal populations and livestock units per one

public service veterinarian in the major exporting countries, 2000

================================================================================

Country                             Export values in USD                                               Populations                     Livestock

                                  -------------------------------------------------------               --------------------------------

                                   Total             Animals         Meat          Milk              cattle        sheep        pigs          units

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Zealand          14,783,812        29,349      8,961,854     5,792,609      43,872     216,798      6,631      57,244

Netherlands            14,480,214       863,115    10,344,361    3,272,738       11,465         3,683    36,952      21,024

Australia                  8,285,069        797,134     5,786,006     1,701,929        55,422     227,724     5,179      63,121

Denmark                  7,372,482        273,308      6,476,711      622,463           3,648            284      23,284     8,907

France                      6,207,885     1,281,685     3,360,102    1,566,098        20,097          9,509      15,993    22,889

Ireland                      5,933,074       984,526      3,730,654    1,217,844        19,707        20,811        4,892    17,669

Canada                     5,535,061     1,573,773     3,821,330      139,958        21,556          1,263     17,888    22,140

USA                         3,728,074         173,688     3,369,462      184,924        43,438          3,089     26,696    46,886

Unit.Kingdom          2,128,801         148,567    1,235,647      745,587         11,179        38,657       8,180   16,932

Germany                  1,776,298          154,777       758,460      863,061           5,199             985       9,255     6,614

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