Large animal Veterinarians

[sunnyblueskies]

We have that problem in the cold North across the border too. There are not many livestock Vet's left. And they don't come out currently unless the animal is down. Covid is partially to blame. I get it, due to large areas covered, long drives to get to farms, it's unfeasible to come out for one animal. Still, it would be nice to have that option if one is willing to pay the price. Some animals would be worth doing that for. Others a bullet will be the only worthwhile thing to do. It's a shame.

 

[Ferd]

I usually haul mine to the vet about 50 minutes one way. He said that male vets who marry a city girl may love working with large animals in the middle of nowhere, but their wife usually doesn't want to be there. If she has an education she usually can't find the job that she qualifies for in the middle of nowhere. If it's a lady large animal vet her husband often needs to live in a populated area for work. Sometimes one or the other just wants city life.

 

[Warren Allison]

Dunno how "cow vets" are affected, but starting about 10-15 years ago, several equine vets that are my clients( insurance) had to start "poodle grooming" a day or 2 a week, in order to claim small animal practice as well. Because of the low-life, blood-sucking, p.o.s scumbags ( aka lawyers), their malpractice insurance was becoming un-affordable. I don't have any insured that are or were mostly "cow vets". The equine vets I used would all treat client's cows, goats, dogs, cats etc while on a farm call, but once they quit doing Bangs tests at the sale barns....and once so many sale barns closed and the dairies shut down ... there are no cow vets only around here.

 

[Buck Randall]

Dunno how "cow vets" are affected, but starting about 10-15 years ago, several equine vets that are my clients( insurance) had to start "poodle grooming" a day or 2 a week, in order to claim small animal practice as well. Because of the low-life, blood-sucking, p.o.s scumbags ( aka lawyers), their malpractice insurance was becoming un-affordable. I don't have any insured that are or were mostly "cow vets". The equine vets I used would all treat client's cows, goats, dogs, cats etc while on a farm call, but once they quit doing Bangs tests at the sale barns....and once so many sale barns closed and the dairies shut down ... there are no cow vets only around here.

Liability insurance for equine veterinarians is quite expensive. That's not generally a problem for bovine vets.

 

[Silver]

Our vets up here are very well compensated. I'll have to look but I think in the neighborhood of $150/ hr. When they preg check here they make around $400/hr.

 

[SBMF 2015]

When they preg check here they make around $400/hr.

How many cows an hr can they check?
I like vets that charge by the hr. We have good facilities and well trained cows. A vet with a good arm can preg around 60 an hr.

 

[Silver]

How many cows an hr can they check?
I like vets that charge by the hr. We have good facilities and well trained cows. A vet with a good arm can preg around 60 an hr.

Generally do 100 head or better per hour here.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Generally do 100 head or better per hour here.

That's pretty cheap preg checking.

 

[Hpacres440p]

Our vets up here are very well compensated. I'll have to look but I think in the neighborhood of $150/ hr. When they preg check here they make around $400/hr.

Preg check here is $6. Knife castrations for 6 monold calves are $12 if you bring them in. No extra charge for more time dodging the angry new steer that goes after the vet and tears up their pen. How can a vet survive with that?

 

[Silver]

That's pretty cheap preg checking.

It would be if they did it by the hour. We pay a bit over $4 per head so the vet makes out very well. But I don't mind, $4 is cheaper than carrying an empty cow for a year.

 

[Dave]

The vet I used on the coast was $40 for a farm call and $2.10 a minute for the time on the farm. When he started charging by the minute I would have them in the chute when he pulled in the driveway. The only time talking was walking to and from his pickup, and I walked extra fast.

 

[Warren Allison]

Liability insurance for equine veterinarians is quite expensive. That's not generally a problem for bovine vets.

That's good to know., and I can see why that would be the case. I just never had a bovine-only vet insured. I was surprised how much it lowered their premium when they went to a mixed practice and started "poodle grooming". I would think there would be a lot more professional liability claims from all of the Karens that think their "fur babies" are human, but I guess not. Then again, there are a lot of 6 and 7 figure horses, compared to the 3 and maybe 4 figure pooches.

 

[Buck Randall]

That's good to know., and I can see why that would be the case. I just never had a bovine-only vet insured. I was surprised how much it lowered their premium when they went to a mixed practice and started "poodle grooming". I would think there would be a lot more professional liability claims from all of the Karens that think their "fur babies" are human, but I guess not. Then again, there are a lot of 6 and 7 figure horses, compared to the 3 and maybe 4 figure pooches.

I don't know the particulars in every state, but in Wisconsin lawsuits are limited to the value of the animal. Pets are considered property, so no claims for pain and suffering. Very few people could make a serious claim that their cat or dog has much cash value at all. Cattle can be high value, but they're not as fragile as horses and their owners tend to be less litigious.

 

[elkwc]

We have a few large animal vets within 65 miles but only one will do after hour calls even if you fail them to them.

 

[WFfarm]

Our animal health emergencies always happen after hours and on weekends. We have a good group of traveling large animal vets (because of all the large dairies in the area) but it's $250 for them just to pull in the driveway, and charging by the minute.

 

[Chevy]

I do most all my own vet work, and I use one very similar to the following manual but for cattle:
View attachment 10094

Thanks for clearing up "for the cattle"