AABP executive vice president dies at 69

ROME, GA. — James A. Jarrett, executive vice president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), died at age 69 following a long battle with cancer.

Dr. James Jarrett

The Rome, Ga., native pioneered the concept of production medicine and his daily practice activities were a model for dairy veterinarians and producers in the United States, says Dr. Rich Meiring, AABP president.

Jarrett spent 40 years in the veterinary profession, getting his start in private practice before joining the Georgia Department of Agriculture in 1965, where he organized the nation's second statewide quality milk program. He returned to private practice in 1967 and worked exclusively with dairy farms.

Jarrett developed roomier free stalls for cows, a housing system that's now an industry standard and known as the Jarrett Stall.

He was a member of numerous veterinary-related organizations, and in 1993, became executive vice president of AABP, the organization he helped found 29 years earlier. In 1984, Jarrett was named AABP Practitioner of the Year and has received more than 30 awards and special recognitions from his peers, including the 2002 Veterinarian of the Year Award from the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association and the 2003 Amstutz-Williams Award from the AABP.

Jarrett wrote and contributed to hundreds of articles in professional publications and presented in more than 255 global veterinary conferences and events.

He is survived by his wife, Margaret, daughter, Joy Shealy, son, Robert and three grandchildren.