Arkansas Veterinary Laboratory boosts regional role amid rising animal disease threats

The University of Arkansas’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Fayetteville is expanding its regional influence as concerns grow over poultry outbreaks and New World screwworm, positioning itself as a key hub for diagnosing and managing animal health threats across the region.

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Fayetteville is positioning itself as a regional backstop for animal disease investigation, as concern grows over threats ranging from poultry outbreaks to New World screwworm.

According to James Barton, the lab’s director, the facility serves clients across Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma and southern Missouri, and works with the state-run Arkansas Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Little Rock. It is also part of the National Animal Health Laboratories Network and holds accreditation from the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation.

Barton said the lab can carry out postmortem examinations on large livestock and then direct samples to the most appropriate confirmatory tests, including national reference laboratories. That role has become more prominent since the US Department of Agriculture confirmed New World screwworm in a calf in Zavala County, Texas, in June, prompting Arkansas officials to urge livestock owners to monitor herds closely.

The laboratory is also seeking a larger profile among pet and small-scale owners. While it is best known in the poultry sector, Barton said it can diagnose backyard flock problems such as coccidiosis, alongside routine viral, bacterial and molecular testing for commercial producers.

The Division of Agriculture says the lab is intended to be a hub for important animal disease submissions, with veterinarians typically handling suspected screwworm identification before samples are sent for federal testing.

Image Source: University of Arkansas