There’s a new state vet in town, and he means business when it comes to protecting Colorado’s livestock from disease and promoting the agricultural industry.
Keith Roehr, who has been with the Colorado Department of Agriculture since 1995, was appointed the state’s top veterinary official on Dec. 17.
“I’ve grown up around agriculture, and I enjoy working with livestock producers,” Roehr said in a recent interview. “I have a passion to work and protect the livestock industry.”
Livestock, Roehr said, includes cattle, horses, goats, sheep, pigs and poultry.
There are an estimated 2.7 million cows and calves in the state, 400,000 sheep, 830,000 pigs, 4.5 million chickens and 44,000 goats.
Colorado’s agriculture industry contributes more than $16 billion annually to the state’s economy, with cattle taking up $3.1 billion of the total and horses another $1.6 billion.
“If you eat, you’re involved in agriculture,” Roehr said.
In making the appointment, state Agricultural Commissioner John Stulp said Roehr “has been a great asset to the department,” and the Colorado agriculture industry “will reap the rewards from his experience.”
Roehr, 53, has been assistant state vet since 2002. He also supervises the pet animal care facilities program and the bureau of animal protection.
He received his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Kansas State University in 1981 and then spent 14 years in private practice.
He chairs the Committee on Animal Emergency Management with the U.S. Animal Health Association and is concerned about linking up federal and state authorities with private veterinarians and industry producers in planning and coordinating a response to natural disasters and disease.
He’s concerned about protecting Colorado’s “free state” status, meaning it is free from certain diseases such as brucellosis and tuberculosis.
“We need to think of regulations based on science according to risk that consider economic impact,” Roehr said.
Some long-standing rules “may not be best,” Roehr said, such as when whole states are declared contaminated by a disease when perhaps disease-free zones within the states would be better.
Roehr also is a member of the National Western’s animal care and use committee.
During the two-week National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, the Department of Agriculture is busy behind the scenes as personnel review health records on thousands of animals being shown and sold.
Despite demands posed by the National Western, Roehr said he and his staff are “ready to respond where we’re needed” if disease pops up.
Ann Schrader: 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com
