J. Oliver Irons, DVM Ironsides Animal Health Lewisburg, West Virginia

When asked what he loves about the beef industry, J. Oliver Irons, DVM, replied, “The favorite portion of my ‘job’ is the people. People within agriculture are the most humble, hard-working, and respected humans on this earth; fortunately, that is who I share my company with daily.” Dr. Irons of Ironsides Animal Health has been practicing for the past seven years in Lewisburg, West Virginia. The veterinarians in his practice provide beef consultative services in the eastern portion of the United States including West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Iowa.

Dr. Irons was inspired to become a veterinarian because of his desire to make a difference across the cattle industry and agriculture as a whole and his belief that veterinarians are a respected voice in the business. The goal of his practice is to help the sustainability of their clients’ operations. He pointed out, “It is our job to find new or old methods that create efficiency and profitability. If our clients are not thriving, we are out of a job.”

A memorable moment in Dr. Irons’ career was riding a boat to Russia with 2,600 head of bovines. He recalled, “After 10 extra days on the water, I established myself as a veterinarian by land.” He encourages anyone interested in working in rural veterinary medicine to be different and to set themselves apart from the get-go.