Incomes and satisfaction among bovine focused veterinary practitioners in the United States and Canada

Veterinarians with income from bovine-focused work were invited to complete an online survey about their 2021 income, employment and demographic characteristics and their levels of satisfaction with their job and their compensation. Survey responses were solicited by the American Association of Bo­vine Practitioners through a newsletter and promotion to con­ference attendees, and by the investigators though a bovine veterinarian group on Facebook. Our objectives were to im­prove pay transparency for bovine-focused veterinarians and to examine how incomes and satisfaction differed based on employment and demographic characteristics. We received 623 responses from veterinarians in partly or entirely bovine-focused practice, of which 414 responses were included in analyses and reporting. Factors that are positively associated with increased income include years since graduation, prac­tice ownership, type-exclusive practice (beef or dairy only), and a production-based compensation structure. Income transparency is positively associated with job satisfaction, while being on call and working increased hours are nega­tively associated with job satisfaction. Reported incomes may have been somewhat depressed due to the reporting period falling during the COVID pandemic. This information about incomes and satisfaction among bovine practitioners may en­courage increased income transparency and the use of com­pensation structures based entirely or in part on production.