David R. Smith, a veterinary epidemiologist for the university, whose research career began in 1992, received the American Association of Bovine Practitioners Award of Excellence on Saturday, September 19 at the 2015 AABP Annual Conference, which was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. 
Kent H. Hoblet, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said the award is very prestigious, considering only one recipient receives it in the United States and Canada annually. 
Hoblet said he believed he was selected to recieve this award for the work he has done that advanced the feild of cattle medicine as his efforts in research and outreach.  Helping the government understand regulations for food safety and similar concerns were also qualifications Smith met to receive the award. 
“They have a selection committee, but the person who nominated him gathered eight or 10 other people who knew of his work around the United States from various universities and cattle industry,” Hoblet said in regards to how Smith was chosen. “They wrote supporting letters testifying to the value of his work in promoting cattle health.” 
 Bill Epperson, department head of pathobiology and population medicine of the College of Veterinary Medicine, expressed that Smith had a long history of contribution to the beef industry, animal health and that the award is an acknowledgment of many years of work in this area. 
“These cattle are widely raised in Mississippi and other states by many people and many derive some economic benefit and so they’re important to us in that way,” Epperson said to describe why cattle research is important to both the university and the state. “They’re a way that we can use the grasslands that we have that are not usable for other agriculture.”
“He is leading a program in beef health and management with a group of other veterinarians who are researchers and extension veterinarians,” Epperson said in relation to the important contributions Smith is making to the College of Veterinary Medicine. 
“That work there is very important because that will crystallize the work here into something very visible and something very practical.”
 
Epperson said Smith is well known for his work with E.coli bacteria that contaminates hamburgers. Smith delopmed a vaccine for the bactiera, and also added to the understanding of how those organisms are transmitted among cattle. 
Epperson also said that Smith is interested in respiratory disease in calves and in young stock. 
“I’ve been a veterinarian for 32 years and for 25 I’ve been involved in research,” Smith said. “I’ve always had an interest in the health of cattle,” Smith said.
Smith said he worked as a cattle practitioner in Ohio. 
Smith attended graduate school where he learned how to do research with cattle around 25 years ago after previous time in practice.
Smith said he gives some of the credit to the dean of their college,  who also went to graduate school after practicing. Smith mentioned that in a sense, he followed his path. 
“The credit for anything that I’ve accomplished really goes to a lot of other people,” Smith said. “Many other veterinarians and other researchers have contributed to my success.”