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A new era for veterinary diagnostics at the University of Missouri

The University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine is redefining the future of animal health. Governor Mike Kehoe says the Dr. Dan Brown Building, home to the Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory, is a huge advancement in diagnostics, research, and disease prevention. “Doc Brown certainly exemplified what that spirit of farming and agriculture was about,” he says.  “How to overcome objectives.  How to work through the day and how to get through those problems that agriculture often challenges you with. This is a great example of what we’ll see.”

The building is named after Mizzou College of Veterinary Medicine alum Dr. Dan Brown, who served the Rolla community for more than 30 years.  Brown also served in the Missouri General Assembly for a decade.

Chris Chinn, Missouri’s director of agriculture, says the laboratory will impact producers and veterinarians for generations to come. “We never have enough veterinarians in our rural communities, and we need more food animal veterinarians,” she says.  “Thanks to the work that’s going to happen here on this campus, we are very hopeful that we’re going to have more veterinarians who come back to our rural communities to serve the livestock industry.”

Mike Deering, CEO of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, says the facility will be a game changer when it comes to animal health. “Making sure that we have somewhere to send those samples when we have a disease outbreak instead of having to go to Kansas State or some out-of-state facility,” he says.  “Now we can have that done right here in Missouri.”

Once complete, the University states that the $ 73 million expansion will provide advanced biosafety and biosecurity, expanded diagnostic capacity, and dedicated teaching and research areas.