STORY

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Hi, I am Melissa DePriest, DVM. I was one of those kids that decided in 2nd grade that I wanted to be a veterinarian and never could be convinced otherwise. While I was raised on a small “hobby farm” in Savannah, Missouri, I quickly realized after leaving home for college that I wanted a veterinary career in the cattle industry. Farmers and ranchers are “my kind of people,” and there is no greater joy than working with cattle every day. I focused on dairy and beef production courses while obtaining my Animal Science BS degree at the University of Missouri. I continued that focus by scheduling preceptorships at cattle practices throughout the country and participating in educational opportunities at the Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center in Clay Center, Nebraska all while completing my doctorate in veterinary medicine at the University of Missouri in 2013. I took my first job as a veterinarian at a mixed animal clinic with a focus on cow-calf in Dewitt, IA before moving to Eldon, Missouri to join a beef exclusive practice. As an associate veterinarian, I gained experience with cow-calf and stocker cattle operations. In this role I realized my passion for production management consulting and the potential I have for making a positive impact on the beef industry. I also met my handsome and supportive husband Brad Miller on a Taco Tuesday shortly after moving here. We married in 2016 and reside on our “fixer upper” property in Eldon. 

In January 2019, I started my own mobile beef veterinary and consulting service, Custom Cattle Care, LLC. This business provides traditional veterinary medicine services as well as production management consulting.