Chris Neal / Kansas News Service Originally published on May 18, 2021 7:52 am TOPEKA, Kansas — Kansas, a state that relies heavily on the cattle industry to power its economy, faces a shortage of the veterinarians that tend to the livestock. So it’s launched a task force to find how to draw more people who can doctor the livestock driving billions of dollars in economic activity. Cattle ranching and related businesses employ nearly 39,000 people and contribute an estimated The veterinarian shortage poses more than just an inconvenience for people who ranch cattle or run cow-calf operations. If a cow needs a C-section and a vet isn’t available, that can mean a lost calf — and lost revenue.