Veterinary access is a fundamental welfare need for farmed animals, yet many operations — particularly small-scale and developing-country farming — lack adequate veterinary support.
Veterinary access inequity creates a two-tiered welfare reality for farmed animals. Animals on well-resourced farms with contracted veterinary practices receive prompt diagnosis and treatment; animals on farms without adequate veterinary support suffer from untreated conditions for longer, with worse outcomes. In low-income countries, veterinary workforce gaps mean large numbers of farm animals live and die without any veterinary care. Community animal health worker programs, mobile veterinary services, and telemedicine platforms are expanding access, but the fundamental gap between animal welfare need and veterinary resource remains one of the most important welfare challenges in global agriculture.