K. Shawn Blood, DVM, Class of 1989, received the Merial Preventative Medicine Award—Beef for his contribution to the beef industry through his outstanding preventive medicine program. The award was presented at the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) annual meeting held recently in Vancouver, British Columbia.

“I was very surprised to receive this award,” says Dr. Blood. “The AABP has many veterinarians that are worthy of this award and I feel very honored and humbled to be chosen.”

Dr. Blood is the veterinarian for Hitch Enterprises of Guymon, Okla. He is responsible for designing therapeutic and preventive health protocols and training of employees for Hitch’s three large commercial feedyards, ranch, and pork operation. Dr. Blood cares for 225,000 to 250,000 head of cattle per year and 15,000 sows—farrow to finish—which produce about 300,000 pigs per year. He is the sole veterinarian; however, all production locations have a team of animal health technicians that he helps train and monitor. The program Dr. Blood has developed focuses on food safety and quality with emphasis on animal welfare.

“We design our programs with the realization that the development of a healthy animal begins the day the animal is born,” explains Dr. Blood. “We try as often as possible to work with our feedyard’s customers as early in the animal’s life as we can.”

The award, sponsored by Merial, consists of a $1,500 general scholarship contribution made in the name of the recipient to his/her veterinary college of choice and a specially designed bronze plaque in bas-relief, which is given to the recipient. Dr. Blood has selected his alma mater, Oklahoma State University. The $1,500 scholarship in Dr. Blood’s name will be awarded at the OSU’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences’ Annual Awards Banquet in April 2008.