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Animal Health

Last Modified: Sep 9, 2016
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Veterinary Services Organization
APHIS Veterinary Services (VS) is organized into the VS Deputy Administrator’s Office (VSDA) and four strategically focused business units: Surveillance, Preparedness and Response (SPRS), National Import Export Services (NIES), Science, Technology and Analysis (STAS), and Program Support Services (PSS):

APHIS works in a variety of ways to protect and improve the health, quality, and marketability of our nation's animals (including various wildlife), animal products, and veterinary biologics. This subject area describes many of the diseases facing animals today, as well the steps APHIS is taking to prevent, control, and eliminate those conditions.

A Proposal to Standardize and Consolidate the APHIS Laboratory Approval Process:  Veterinary Services has drafted a concept paper that addresses APHIS approval of animal disease diagnostic laboratories.

Veterinary Services has developed a Proposed National List of Reportable Animal Diseases and a draft plan for preparing and responding to emerging animal diseases.

Business Plans: Veterinary Services has developed five-year business plans to outline the priorities, objectives, strategies, and field activities for cattle, avian, swine, aquaculture, sheep and goat, equine, and cervid health.

Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal Health: The Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal Health (SACAH) advises the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture on matters of animal health and broader issues of public concern. SACAH membership will represent the greater agricultural community and include, for example, animal welfare advocates; local and commercial livestock producers; small and minority farmers; and State and Tribal animal health officials. SACAH will consider and make recommendations on collateral issues involving public health, conservation of natural resources, and the stability of livestock economies.

Animal Diseases Information: Veterinary Services protects and improves the health, quality, and marketability of our nation's animals, animal products and veterinary biologics by preventing, controlling and/or eliminating animal diseases, and monitoring and promoting animal health and productivity.

Animal Health Surveillance: This section describes the National Animal Health Surveillance System and provides links to key animal health monitoring and surveillance issues, programs, and information sources.

One Health (OH) is the concept that the health of animals, the health of people, and the viability of ecosystems are linked. OH focuses on delivering collaborative, multidisciplinary solutions to complex problems at the animal, human, and environmental interface (AHEI). This approach brings together the strengths of multiple health science professions including veterinarians, physicians, public health professionals, epidemiologists, ecologists, social scientists, toxicologists, and others – working locally, nationally, and globally – to attain optimal health for people, domestic animals, wildlife, plants and our environment.

Laboratory Information and Services: APHIS provides a variety of laboratory services which are centered around providing or facilitating animal disease testing services.

Veterinary Biologics:  Veterinary biologics include vaccines, antibodies, diagnostic kits, and certain immunomodulators. Learn how to license/import a biologic, report adverse events occurring from biologic use, or find lists of licensed products.

Veterinarian Accreditation:  Veterinarians can go here to learn how to apply for accreditation as well as search for a variety of training materials.

Veterinary Services Applications Training and Resources:   
Veterinary Services provide responsive and quality information technology services, delivery, and training to VS and its stakeholders which protects and improves the health, quality, and marketability of our nation's animals, animal products and veterinary biologics.

Animal Health Report: An overview of domestic animal health in the United States. It contains information on the state of U.S. livestock, poultry, and aquaculture commodities, as well as the programs and strategies used to ensure their continued health.

Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH):  CEAH helps APHIS strengthen animal health infrastructures both nationally and internationally through surveillance, monitoring, risk analysis, spatial epidemiology, and modeling.

Professional Development Training:  Professional Development Services (PDS) is a small group of training specialists dedicated to meeting the current and future scientific and technical education and training needs of VS personnel. In addition to staff members housed at APHIS Headquarters in Riverdale, Maryland, PDS has Staff Veterinarians and Education Technology Specialists throughout the United States to ensure local, as well as national, needs are addressed.

Veterinary Services Data Standards:  A common set of data elements is necessary for any entity; Federal, State, or private, to effectively share information for the purposes of animal disease traceability and as an overall part of an integrated national surveillance strategy. Additionally, standards are required that allow for effective, error-free data exchange. To ensure congruency and to facilitate discussion and implementation of data-sharing requirements among States, Tribes, and industry stakeholders, VS, in collaboration with the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials, is publishing data standards for specific program activities. The first set of published standards is for electronically generated Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection.

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