Executive Summary
Department Overview
The Veterinary and Biomedical Science Department (VBSD) is a member of the SDSU College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and works diligently to fulfill the tripartite mission of the land-grant university system which consists of teaching, research and service. The department is home to the State Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (ADRDL) which has been providing diagnostic services since 1887 and was established by state statute in 1967. It is South Dakota’s only accredited animal health laboratory. Scientists working within the department and laboratory “conduct studies, research and diagnoses with respect to animal diseases”. We work closely with veterinarians, animal owners and scientists, locally, nationally and internationally to advance animal and human health. Participation in several programs also advances this mission. These include the:
- USDA Food Emergency Response Network. This network integrates the nation's food-testing laboratories at the local, state and federal levels into a network that is able to respond to emergencies involving biological, chemical or radiological contamination of food.
- USDA National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). This network is needed for foreign and emerging animal disease testing which provides for a quality national program and same day testing for emergencies.
- FDA GenomeTrakr program for monitoring of food borne pathogens and traceability.
- FDA Veterinary Investigation Response Network (Vet-LIRN). This testing helps the center of Veterinary Medicine investigate potential problems with regulated products such as animal feeds and animal drugs
Our research and diagnostic program focuses heavily on food animal infectious disease issues and includes important zoonotic diseases and basic science directed at controlling and understanding infectious diseases more precisely.
The Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department does not offer an undergraduate degree, but coordinates the Pre-Veterinary Medicine curriculum for the college. South Dakota residents that wish to pursue a DVM degree spend three to four years at SDSU and then apply to veterinary colleges. The department has a '2+2' cooperative program with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. After acceptance to the program students spend their first two years of Veterinary Education at SDSU and then transfer to the University of Minnesota to finish out their DVM curriculum. Our Veterinary Extension program provides vital continuing education opportunities for the state’s veterinary practitioners and unbiased information for producers and animal owners. Our diagnosticians also make significant contributions to public outreach by spending considerable time discussing submitted cases and results with veterinarians and producers throughout the country.
Department Mission and Vision
Department Mission: To protect and improve the health of animals, the viability of the South Dakota agricultural industry and the welfare of society through high-quality diagnostic, analytical, research, extension and teaching activities.
Statement of Strategic Intent/Vision: Our strategic intent is to achieve national distinction while strengthening local relevance as we strengthen our programs with excellence and become recognized as the leading Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences Department in the U.S.
The VBSD vision intent is to:
- Develop leaders that will have productive careers in the fields of animal and human health.
- Provide our stakeholders with relevant, accurate and unbiased information and data that will help them enhance economic development and the quality of life in our region.
- Conduct scholarly work that has a major impact on animal and human health.
- Provide excellent, renowned professional service to the public through the ADRDL.
- We will invest in ourselves. We will advance our department’s human resource potential.
Guiding Values
Our guiding values are in line with the long-standing traditions of the land-grant university system. The following are modified and adapted from the SDSU College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences:
- Integrity, honesty and respect will be a foremost component in all activities at all times.
- Professional service will be excellent, timely, useful and relevant.
- Graduates will be prepared for a lifetime of learning, career success, leadership development and personal satisfaction.
- Research, scholarship and creative activity will inform, teach, contribute to economic prosperity and/or quality of life and be socially and environmentally responsible.
- Diversity of people, cultures and ideas will reflect a global perspective, enrich our lives and enhance our program quality.
- Stewardship, both responsible and wise, will be practiced in the beneficial development and use of limited human, economic and natural resources.
- Stakeholders will be engaged to identify priority issues and opportunities, develop synergistic partnerships and to focus use of resources.