In 1879, the College of Veterinary Medicine was established at Iowa State University in Ames, the nationﾒs first public veterinary school. The School, now a cornerstone of one of the world’s largest concentrations of animal health professionals (with the USDA’s National Animal Disease Center and the National Veterinary Services Laboratories).

s legislative articles were drafted in 1858 to form the “State Agricultural College and Farm,” it was specified that veterinary studies would be included in the subjects of instruction. When the first Iowa State class graduated in 1872, seniors in agriculture had received instruction in veterinary science.