Wisconsin veterinarian honored by American Association of Bovine Practitioners

Garrett R. Oetzel, a food animal production medicine veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, received the 2007 AABP Alpharma Award of Excellence during the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on September 22, 2007.

The award, established in 1989, recognizes a veterinarian in academia, industry or public practice who has had a consistent and direct influence on daily activities of veterinarians in bovine practice. The recipient is presented with a ring and a commemorative plaque.

According to Glen Johnson, veterinarian from Reedsburg, Wis. who presented the award during the meeting, Oetzel is part of a truly elite food animal production medicine faculty.

"This group has, in the last 18 years, become a supernova of clinical research, practical tools, and source of instruction for the dairy industry and dairy practitioners worldwide," Johnson says.

He noted that Oetzel has shared an enormity of information on significant health issues facing the dairy industry. "His recommendations are always field-tested and practical," adds Johnson.

He also noted that it’s not unusual for Oetzel to present in excess of 15 hours of formal presentations during the AABP convention, due to popular demand.

Oetzel joined the Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 1989. He earned his DVM from The Ohio State University, then completed a residency and earned his MS degree at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.