Robert (Bob) L. Larson, DVM, PhD Diplomate, American College of Theriogenology, American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine (Epidemiology), and American College of Animal Nutrition Professor, Coleman Chair Phone: 785-532-5700 E-mail: rlarson@vet.k-state.edu

Dr. Larson was raised in northeast Kansas and attended Kansas State University where he received his DVM in 1987. After one year in mixed practice in Garnett, Kansas, he returned to Kansas State to pursue a PhD in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. His graduate work focused on beef female reproduction and nutrition-reproduction interactions. He received his PhD in 1992 and returned to private practice for one year in Carthage, Illinois and three years in Abilene, Kansas. While in private practice, Dr. Larson worked primarily with cow-calf producers, backgrounding/stocker operations, and farmer-feeders. He is board certified by the American College of Theriogenologists, the American College of Animal Nutrition, and the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine.

In 1996, Dr. Larson joined the faculty at the University of Missouri as a veterinary beef production specialist for University Extension in the College of Veterinary Medicine. He worked on the Commercial Agriculture Program’s Beef Focus Team, a multi-disciplinary team made up of veterinarians, agricultural economists, and animal scientists. In 2003, Dr. Larson became director of Veterinary Extension and Continuing Education at the University of Missouri.

Dr. Larson joined the Kansas State University faculty in the spring of 2006 as the Edgar E. and M. Elizabeth Coleman Chair in Food Animal Production Medicine.

Dr. Larson’s primary area of interest is the integration of animal health, production efficiency, and economic considerations in beef cattle production. He has specifically looked at the economic effects of control strategies for bovine viral diarrhea, neosporosis, and neonatal diarrhea. Dr. Larson is currently the vice president for the Academy of Veterinary Consultants and the chairman of the steering committee for the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medicine Association.

Selected Publications:

A.G. Chymis, H.S. James, S.P. Konduru, V.L. Pierce, R.L. Larson. Asymmetric information in cattle auctions: The problem of revaccinations. Ag Econ (In Press 2006)

T.B. Schmidt, M.S. Brown, R.L. Larson, S.B. Kleiboeker, KC Olson, D. Keisler, J. Caroll, E.P. Berg. The effect of dietary lipoic acid on metabolic hormones and acute phase proteins in steers challenged with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus. JAVMA (In Press, 2006)

M.A. Miller, J.A. Ramos-Vara, S.B. Kleiboeker, R.L. Larson. Effect of delayed or prolonged fixation on immunohistochemical detection of bovine viral diarrhea virus in ear-notch biopsies. J Vet Diag Invest (In Press, 2006)

J.H. Clark, KC Olson, T.B. Schmidt, R.L. Larson, M.R. Ellersieck, D.O. Alkire, D.L. Meyer, G.K. Rentfrow, C.C. Carr. Effects of respirtoary disease risk and a bolus injection of trace minerals at receiving on growing and finishing performance by beef steers. Prof Anim Sci 22:245-251, 2006.

R.L. Larson. The effect of cattle health on performance, production costs, and carcass value. J Anim Sci 83 (E. Suppl):E37-E43, 2005.

R.L. Larson, B.W. Brodersen, D.M. Grotelueschen, B.D. Hunsaker, W. Burdett, K.V. Brock, R.W. Fulton, D.R. Goehl, R.W. Sprowls, J.A. Kennedy, G.H. Loneragan, D.A. Dargatz. Considerations for bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) testing. Bov Pract 39(2):96-100, 2005.

G.H. Loneragan, D.U. Thomson, D.L. Montgomery, G.L. Mason, R.L. Larson. Prevalence, outcome, and animal-health consequences of feedlot cattle persistently infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus. JAVMA 226: 595-601, 2005.

R.L. Larson, R.B. Miller, S.B. Kleiboeker, M.A. Miller, B.J. White. The economic cost of screening for PI feeder calves using two testing strategies. JAVMA 226:249- 254, 2005.

J.R. Middleton and R.L. Larson. Maintaining vigilance against bovine spongiform encephalopathy; Government and beef industry efforts protect U.S. consumers. U.S. Vet 2005: pp. 58-67, 2005.

R.L. Larson. Food Animal Veterinary Medicine - Leading A Changing Profession. J. Vet Med Edu. 31:341-346, 2005.

R.L. Larson, D.K. Hardin, V.L. Pierce. Economic considerations for diagnostic and control options for Neospora caninum-induced abortions in endemically infected herds of beef cattle. JAVMA 224:1597-1604, 2004.

R.L. Larson, D.M. Grotelueschen, K.V. Brock, B.D. Hunsaker, R.A. Smith, R.W. Sprowls, D.S. MacGregor, G.H. Loneragan, D.A. Dargatz. Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD): Review for beef cattle veterinarians. Bov Pract 38:93-102, 2004.

R.L. Larson, D.M. Grotelueschen, K.V. Brock, D.A. Dargatz, J.A. Ellis, B.D. Hunsaker, S.D. Lewis, D.S. MacGregor, R.A. Smith, R.W. Sprowls, V. Traffas. BVD decision / management guidelines for beef veterinarians. Bov Pract 38:103-112, 2004.

M.E. Dawes, J. Lakritz, J.W. Tyler, M. Cockrell, A.E. Marsh, D.M. Estes, R.L. Larson, B. Steevens. Effects of supplemental lactoferrin on serum lactoferrin and IgG concentrations and neutrophil oxidative metabolism in Holstein calves. J Vet Intern Med 18:104-108, 2004.

R.L. Larson, J.W. Tyler, L.G. Schultz, R.K. Tessman, D.E. Hostetler. Management strategies to decrease calf death loss in beef herds. JAVMA 22:42-48, 2004.

R.K. Tessman, J.W. Tyler, R.L. Larson, S.W. Casteel, J. Lakritz, G.F. Krause, J.E. Williams. Use of a binomial model to predict a lower confidence limit for copper deficiency prevalence in feeder calves. J Appl Res Vet Med 1:172-177, 2003.

J.W. Tyler, R.K. Tessman, S.W. Casteel, R.L. Larson, R.F. Randle. Serum zinc concentrations in spring-born Missouri feeder cattle. J Appl Res Vet Med 1:179-186, 2003.

R.K. Tessman, J.W. Tyler, S.W. Casteel, R.L. Larson, R.F. Randle. Factors related to copper status in spring-born Missouri feeder calves. J Appl Res Vet Med 1:206-211, 2003.

R.L. Larson, D.K. Hardin. Review: Neospora caninum induced abortion in cattle. Bov Pract 37(2):121-126, 2003.

J.W. Tyler, S.W. Casteel, R.L. Larson, R.K. Tessman, R.F. Randle, R.B. Miller, and J.M. Holle. Selenium status of spring-born feeder calves. J App Res Vet Med 1:9-16, 2003.

R.L. Larson, V.L. Pierce, D.M. Grotelueschen, and T.E. Wittum. Economic evaluation of beef cowherd screening for cattle persistently-infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus. Bov Pract 36(2):106-112, 2002.

R.L. Larson. Beef herd reproductive worksheets. In: S. Haskell, ed. 5-minute veterinary consult: ruminant. Portland, OR. Book News, Inc.; 2006

R.L. Larson. Management systems and control programs. In: S.M. Goyal and J.F. Ridpath, eds. Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus: Diagnosis, Management, and Control. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing; 2005: 223-238.

R.L. Larson and J.W. Tyler. Reducing calf losses in beef herds. In: Frazer GS, ed. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice Bovine Theriogenology. Vol 21(2). Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company; 2005: 569-584. (PDF10)

R.L. Larson. Replacement heifers. In: Chenoweth PJ, Sanderson MW, eds. Beef Practice: Cow-Calf Production Medicine. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing; 2005:127-150.

Speaking Engagements (2004-2006)

American Association of Bovine Practitioners 39rd Annual Convention, September 17-20, 2006; St. Paul, Minnesota
R.L. Larson: Economic, reproductive, and performance effects of PI BVD in commercial cattle operations: Managing to minimize losses

Elanco Animal Health Stocker Symposium, June 2-3, 2006, Nashville, Tennessee and June 9-10, 2006, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
R.L. Larson: Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) in stocker and feedlot cattle

68th Annual Conference for Veterinarians, June 4-7, 2006, Manhattan, Kansas
R.L. Larson: Cost analysis of BVDV PI testing and eradication in cow-calf herds

KSU Student AABP Chapter 2006 Bovine Conference, April 22-23, 2006, Manhattan, Kansas.
R.L. Larson: Heifer Development

Triennial Stocker Conference, August 26-27, 2005, Auburn, Alabama
R.L. Larson: Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) in stocker and feedlot cattle

2005 South Dakota Veterinary Association Annual Meeting, August 14-17, 2005, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
R.L. Larson and R.F. Randle: Heifer development as a practice builder
R.L. Larson: Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) control
R.L. Larson and R.F. Randle: Cattle disease control and biosecurity
R.L. Larson: Evidence based veterinary medicine: Evidence for vaccination use in beef cattle

67th Annual Conference for Veterinarians, June 5-8, 2005, Manhattan, Kansas
R.L. Larson: Evidence based veterinary medicine: Evidence for vaccination use in beef cattle

2005 Spring Conference of the Plains Nutrition Council, April 14-15, 2005, San Antonio, Texas
R.L. Larson: A new look at reducing infectious disease in feedlot cattle

2005 Annual Meeting of Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association, February 18-20, 2005, Little Rock, Arkansas
R.L. Larson: Managing replacement heifers from first breeding to second breeding
R.L. Larson and R.F. Randle: The bovine estrous cycle and synchronization of estrus
R.L. Larson, J.W. Tyler, L.G. Schultz, R.K. Tessman, D.E. Hostetler: Management strategies to decrease calf mortality in beef herds
R.F. Randle and R.L. Larson: Control programs to prevent persistent diseases
R.L. Larson: Biosecurity to prevent persistent disease
R.L. Larson: Where is money being left on the table for beef cattle veterinary practitioners?

2004 Winter Academy of Veterinary Consultants Meeting, December 2-4, 2004, Denver, Colorado
R.L. Larson: BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhea) control plans, components, & opportunities

2004 AVMA Annual Convention, July 24-28, 2004, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
R.L. Larson, R.F. Randle: Planning herd biosecurity based on the biology of infectious diseases in cattle
R.L. Larson: Economic analysis of diagnostic procedures commonly used in food animal practice
R.L. Larson: Biosecurity to prevent persistent disease

12th International Conference on Production Disease in Farm Animals, July 19-22, 2004, East Lansing, Michigan
R.L. Larson: The effect of bovine respiratory disease on carcass traits

23rd World Buiatrics Congress, July 11-16, 2004, Quebec, Canada
R.L. Larson, R.B. Miller, S.B. Kleiboeker, M.A. Miller, B.J. White: Survey of feeder cattle for persistent infection (PI) with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and the economic cost of screening for PI feeder calves

2004 Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association Summer Meeting, June 16-18, 2004, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
R.L. Larson, R.F. Randle: Beef cattle health and biosecurity considerations
R.L. Larson: Control of BVD virus in beef operations

Western Veterinary Conference 2004, February 16-19, 2004, Las Vegas, Nevada
R.L. Larson: BVD in Cow-Calf Herds: Disease Costs and Control Plans

Pfizer’s Cattlemen’s College – National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Annual Meeting, January 28, 2004, Phoenix, Arizona
R.L. Larson – Economic and production impacts of BVD
R.L. Larson – Designing a BVD control plan for beef herds

Other Activities

• Journal of Animal Science
  Reviewer – 2005 - present

• The Bovine Practitioner
  Editorial Review Board – 2001-present

• Steering Committee for Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine Association
  Chairman – 2005-present

• Academy of Veterinary Consultants
  Vice-President – 2005-present
  Board of Directors – 2003 - present
  Chairman, BVD ad hoc Committee - 2004 - present

• American Association of Bovine Practitioners
  Reproduction Committee – 2004-present
  BVD Committee – 2004-present

• American College of Theriogenologists
  Beef Focus Committee – 2001-present

• American Society of Animal Science
  Animal Health Program Committee – 2002-2003
  Vice Chair Animal Health Program Committee – 2003-2004
  Chair Animal Health Program Committee – 2004-2005

• National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
  Animal Health Network - 2004-present
  TSE Working Group 2005-present