Careers with livestock

[steerhorn]

Suggestions please!
I have a daughter who's a senior in high school this year. After high school, she's wanting to attend a college for Large Animal Veternarian. I'm not 100% sure she's cut out for this field, though she may do fine.
She definitley is the outside of door type, and likes messing with our cows and horse.
Can anyone mention other areas that she might consider along these lines?
Help, I'm running out of time!

 

[greatgerts]

Different colleges call it different things, but I majored in Agribusiness with emphasis in Animal Science. I am not using it right now, but with a degree like that you can work maybe for ABS or a different breeding service company. You could sell products directly to cattle and horse people.
It gives the detailed knowledge in animals, but you get the general knowledge in business, which can help in any Ag-type business.

Here's a link to different titles that can be obtained through an Agribusiness degree:

http://www.semo.edu/study/agribusiness/careers.htm

 

[CKC1586]

Send her to Michigan! We need more large animal vets. Don't discourage her!

 

[Cinco_M_Gert]

Thats a good link greatgerts. I'm majoring in Agribusiness and minoring in Spanish. A lot of colleges will have career opportunities listed with the degrees on their website

 

[Beef11]

I was going to go the Large animal vet route but decided to go into animal science/ Biotech. I am involved in the embryo and reproduction world now. What does she like most about the idea of being a vet? Specializing might be what she would prefer.

 

[Ryder]

Suggestions please!
I have a daughter who's a senior in high school this year. After high school, she's wanting to attend a college for Large Animal Veternarian. I'm not 100% sure she's cut out for this field, though she may do fine.
She definitley is the outside of door type, and likes messing with our cows and horse.
Can anyone mention other areas that she might consider along these lines?
Help, I'm running out of time!

Doesn't matter much what she majors in to start off. If she may want to pursue vet med route, just make sure she takes the courses necessary to apply. She has time to find her direction. No rush.
Vet school prep courses will not hurt her regardless of what she does later.

Main thing is to make top grades from the start.

 

[Red007]

Send her up here to Michigan State!! I'm in a program up here w/ a major in Animal science with specilization in Production Medicine. The faculty works with us on getting into vet school, AND gaining practical livestock knowledge, not just small animal info. If you have any questions pm me.

 

[alabama]

It is like anything else when it comes to raising children. First, let her know that you love her no matter what she does. Then encourage her to do what she wants to do. And always make sure she never forgets that she can be or do anything she wants. All it takes is a commitment to do what it takes to accomplish her objectives.
Always comment when she successes at what she wants to succeed in and when she fails we have to pick her up and dust her off and rebuild her confidence to try again.
I told my daughter all her life that she can do and be whatever she wants. She believes it but is not always willing to make the sacrifice. Now I have a grand daughter and I tell her every chance I get how smart she is, how beautiful she is, and how much I love her. She will be 9 months old in a week but it pays to start early. I am sure I will make a believer of her.
I also take time to tell my Daughter and son-in-law what good parents they are and how proud I am of what they are doing and how they are doing it. Sure, they make some mistakes but they know what they are. I don't have to tell them.
I am a firm believer in that you make anyone become what you tell them they are.

Now how did I get started on this?


BTW Auburn has the best Vet school in the whole dern country.
War Eagle

 

[steerhorn]

Thanks for all the replies! Keep'em coming.

Can never get too much information. College is very expensive these days as we all know. Just want to make sure we're not missing something before we head down that road. This is my second oldest, so we've been down this road before, just took a wrong turn or two, or three....,
I know if I would have had more information 25 years ago, (before internet), or knew what I know now, I might have chosen a different career.
Such is Life,

Thanks,

 

[backhoeboogie]

College expense was indeed a killer for me. Two daughters recently attended.

Some friends are vets. Both have the same story about good reliable help. One vet specializes in cattle and makes the sale barn circuits and has private practice too. He has a gal who is his "right hand man" and he pays her well. She preps and works right along side him on everything. They are a team. It took him years to find someone like that. Thinking back to the post about agri-business made me consider this situation. You might have her try an internship with a large animal vet and see how it goes.

If she wants to be a vet, absolute, get behind her and support her all the way.

 

[vs_cattle]

I agree we all need more great large animal vets

other jobs in the cattle industry:
- Ag Loan Officer
- Cattle Trainer ( Brake to ride, Brake to lead)
- Cattle Clipper/Fitter/Exibiter/Hoof Trimmer
- Cattle Buyer
- Cattle Rancher/Farmer
- Ag teacher
- AI Tech
- ET Tech- Livestock photographer
- Livestock website designer
- Livestock program maker
- Feed Store Owner
- Camp Teacher (Fitting Camp and or Livestock Selection Camp)
- Cattle Transporter
- Run an Auction
- Auction Hand
- Cattle Massager
- Work in one of the many associaitons
- Cattle related ad speacialist
- Cattle magazine industry
- Sure I missed some .......

 

[Stocker Steve]

Suggestions please!
I have a daughter who's a senior in high school this year. After high school, she's wanting to attend a college for Large Animal Veternarian. I'm not 100% sure she's cut out for this field, though she may do fine.

Large animal care is more dangerous and less profitable than taking care of guppies and puppies. You need to want it. My daughter helps work the squeeze chute and she knows she knows she does not want it enough. Most large animal vets are very willing to have a student ride along. I would suggest that before taking a lot of college courses.

 

[6M Ranch]

Ag Nutrition, Ag Journalism. My niece is in one, my daughter is in the other. There's a lot of fields that are ag related. Not sure about the earlier post which said she doesn't have to choose now. I think the vet course of study is laid out right from the start. There are certain courses you have to take, otherwise you're wasting your time. Even Ag Journalism, you focus on those types of classes starting in your freshman year. Granted, there will be some overlap, but anymore, there is a specific curriculum laid out. Switching later will cost time and money.

 

[steerhorn]

Thanks again for the replies.
I would have loved for her to have taken a summer job with a large animal vet, and she tried. None of the locals were hiring. I'm not too crazy about volunteer work, with the price of gas and wear and tear on a car. She is a hard worker and I'd like to see her at least earn a minimum wage. But may be something we'll have to consider.
We do our own eartagging, de-horning, worming, casturating, etc., and I always, make sure she gets her hands dirty. She never complains.
I just know she'll never be happy with an office job.

Too much of her Dad in her!

Thanks again,

 

[Conagher]

I was going to go the Large animal vet route but decided to go into animal science/ Biotech. I am involved in the embryo and reproduction world now. What does she like most about the idea of being a vet? Specializing might be what she would prefer.

I think this is a very good question to ask. I could see very different directions based on the answer - from pure research to vet assistant. Brother went into animal science (BS, MS, PhD) and is now a lead research scientist with USDA. Friend has son at Texas A&M majoring in animal science that is co-oping with USDA - focus is ag marketing. May want to check into opportunities with USDA.

Good Luck!

 

[steerhorn]

Okay, one final question and I'll let it go...

Bottom line, can a person sustain a decent life style in these fields, other than an actual Large animal vet, or will they be living out of the back of their truck, eating porkrinds (not that I don't like a good porkrind), and making school loan payments for the next 25 years?
Not to get to personel, just wondering what a ballpark annual salary/earnings might be.

Anyone?

Thanks,

 

[Dave]

Take a look at hansenagri-placement.com They are an employment agency. They will have listings for a bunch of agriculture jobs all over the country. This will give you an idea of job availability, wages, and what employer are looking for.

 

[Jogeephus]

My dad was a vet and I can tell you after helping him for many years its a lot of work. However, you get to meet a lot of wonderful people and most everyone will become your friend.

As for money, I think it depends on the person and how hard they want to work. I think this applies to other agriculture fields as well. I have a friend who palpates cattle for a living. He dropped by my place and stayed a couple hours and left with more money than I could make in a day. He then went on to palpate 600 more head that afternoon. At $3/head, I think he was doing pretty darn good. The next day he said he was heading for Florida to do 1200. He is good and in demand but you can do the math yourself.