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Successful delivery of veterinary services in their broadest sense, which largely takes into account the pressures exerted by major stakeholders, has evolved in many countries to include five essential components. These are (i) livestock producers and their organizations; (ii) a national public veterinary service; (iii) a private veterinary sector; (iv) a statutory regulatory body; and (v) a veterinary professional association. Each component has different responsibilities and may represent different stakeholders. Ideally the five components interact with checks and balances so that all clients are fairly represented. The logic and rationale for the creation of each component, as well as assigning specific tasks and responsibilities, are based on economic, biological and social principles. One objective of this paper is to define those principles that provide a technical framework for rationalizing the delivery of veterinary services.