New Vets

[farmerjohn]

It's simple. Cattle ranchers, myself included are cheap. We don't want to pay the vet a fair wage for his/her services.
Dog/cat owners seem to have an endless flow of money for their animals. So do horse owners.
Now which do you want to do? Get kicked, ran over and crapped on by a cow (any hour of the day) and in the cold or heat or work in a nice office on a dog?

Until we start paying large animal vets what they are worth, don't expect anymore

Herd health here costs us about $2500 for one visit for about 50(bred) head.This includes vaccines for the bred cows as well as preg. checking. Mileage is $250.I do not think that is cheap at all.

You can't read well. I didn't say that calling a vet was cheap. I said that cattle ranchers are too cheap to pay a vet a decent rate.

 

[hillsdown]

It's simple. Cattle ranchers, myself included are cheap. We don't want to pay the vet a fair wage for his/her services.
Dog/cat owners seem to have an endless flow of money for their animals. So do horse owners.
Now which do you want to do? Get kicked, ran over and crapped on by a cow (any hour of the day) and in the cold or heat or work in a nice office on a dog?

Until we start paying large animal vets what they are worth, don't expect anymore

Herd health here costs us about $2500 for one visit for about 50(bred) head.This includes vaccines for the bred cows as well as preg. checking. Mileage is $250.I do not think that is cheap at all.

You can't read well. I didn't say that calling a vet was cheap. I said that cattle ranchers are too cheap to pay a vet a decent rate.

No ,you can't read well. I call a vet and pay the price and do not b@tch about it like many do especially on this forum, and then wonder why they don't have large animal vets. Believe me large animal vets around here make really good money. So it has nothing to do with them being paid a good "wage".Most do not want to get their shoes covered in cow sh*t;and that comes straight from the horses mouth. Our Vet and also close friend told us exactly why the new young guys do not want to do cattle work. They don't want to get dirty. Because most people around here have decent handling facilities so all the vet has to do is walk in behind and shove his hand up a cows but;and give the odd vaccination. But when they think of getting those $250 dollar shoes dirty they say No Thanks.

 

[Howdyjabo]

If theres a way to have human PA's then there is SURELY a way to make a veterinarian DRs assistant position work.
And I think its the only answer to the shortage. Unless commercial animals become more of a cash cow than they are now.
Farmers aren't too cheap to pay-- it just doesn't make sense to spend more than the animal is gonna make.

 

[Alan]

Also a Vet has never lost a day of work from being kicked by fluffy the dog.

Alan

Well, I know of vets who have had to take months off for bites in the face, detached retinas, mangled hands etc from bites, all from small animals. A couple have been forced into retirement. I've been lucky--I'm so ugly that any damage to my face would be an improvement....

Dr. Vicky, I was refering to a dog kicking a Vet, not a dog biting or mauling a Vet. You and I both know that small animal practice is much safer and more profitable than Bovine practice and certainly safer than Equine practice. All I was doing was sticking up for Vets and why they are getting away from Bovine practice... no $$$$

Alan