Veterinary Cost

[msscamp]

Vets have a minimum charge for farm visits. Mileage for example. You won't get a visit from a vet or a tech to bred a cow for $25.

Sure you can - depending on the area you live in. One of my vets charges me $20.00 for a farm visit - and that includes mileage - the other one charges me $15.00 for a farm visit, again, that includes mileage.

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

Vets have a minimum charge for farm visits. Mileage for example. You won't get a visit from a vet or a tech to bred a cow for $25.

Sure you can - depending on the area you live in. One of my vets charges me $20.00 for a farm visit - and that includes mileage - the other one charges me $15.00 for a farm visit, again, that includes mileage.

They breed em around here all day long for 20 dollars mmnt

 

[phillse]

Our vet charges us $29 if during regular hours and we take them into the clinic. If after hours the cost is more. The vet stores our straws in their tank for free. We have had very good conception rates, 65 -70 % over several years. Sometimes we breed on natural heats and sometimes we sync. We have had almost as good a conception rate on syncs as on natural heats.

Farmgirl

I would consider doing something different, If I got no better conception rates than 65-70%. I would be upset if I was getting below 75% conception rates.

 

[phillse]

Guess I'll try a AI course---I think !!

Just remeber you will not usually get good conception rates until you have had some practice. Whn I went to AI school we were told we would not realize our potential until breeding a couple hundred and the sooner you breed a couple hundred the faster you get good.

I found this to be true, after a couple hundred you have felt nearly all the different things you can feel.

 

[djinwa]

Must be one of those "old school" vets that likes to serve folks. Most of these young guns won't crank the truck for less than $50.

So, a $10 farm call is a sign of "service"? Any more than that is selfish? Where do ideas like this come from?

I hope you sell your beef for less so you can serve the beef eaters of America.

I don't know if people realize it, but a veterinarian is a doctor. Try hauling your wife into a doctor to get AI'd and tell me if you can get it done for less than $29.

Attitudes as expressed on this board are the reason there is trouble getting people to be large animal vets. People want to pay them less than a mechanic and wonder why they'd rather make more money elsewhere.

Milkmaid, I believe I heard you are shooting for DVM - hope you can get by on $10 farm calls - should work out to about $5 an hour after 8 years of training, vehicle and equipment expense, clinic expense, licensing, malpractice insurance, continuing education, etc.

And you'll get to be called at all hours by people who just want alittle free information.

 

[novaman]

Must be one of those "old school" vets that likes to serve folks. Most of these young guns won't crank the truck for less than $50.

So, a $10 farm call is a sign of "service"? Any more than that is selfish? Where do ideas like this come from?

I hope you sell your beef for less so you can serve the beef eaters of America.

I don't know if people realize it, but a veterinarian is a doctor. Try hauling your wife into a doctor to get AI'd and tell me if you can get it done for less than $29.

Attitudes as expressed on this board are the reason there is trouble getting people to be large animal vets. People want to pay them less than a mechanic and wonder why they'd rather make more money elsewhere.

Milkmaid, I believe I heard you are shooting for DVM - hope you can get by on $10 farm calls - should work out to about $5 an hour after 8 years of training, vehicle and equipment expense, clinic expense, licensing, malpractice insurance, continuing education, etc.

And you'll get to be called at all hours by people who just want alittle free information.

I think you missed the boat. Vets make their money by the services they do, not farm call charges. Maybe there are fewer large animal vets because people don't want to pay but ranchers/dairymen have to make a living ourselves. All the expenses you listed above do add up but its a part of doing business. If people can't get rich quick nobody wants the job. I guess if that's how it is so be it. I use vets as little as possible because they are too expensive for what they do. In fact I recently hauled a cow to the vet. He looked her over a bit gave her a shot and pumped some stuff into her gut and charged me $200. Eight days later she died anyway. If the cow hadn't been sick I would have been better off butchering her and giving the vet a quarter of the beef as essentially that's what he took value-wise. Ridiculous.

 

[Willow Springs]

Just remeber you will not usually get good conception rates until you have had some practice. Whn I went to AI school we were told we would not realize our potential until breeding a couple hundred and the sooner you breed a couple hundred the faster you get good.

I found this to be true, after a couple hundred you have felt nearly all the different things you can feel.

Exactly. When I first came from the school I was only about 50% conception and struggled at that, but I only bred 5-10 per year of my own cows. By the time I felt a little comfortable breeding I was done for the year. After a couple years at it I was up around 75%, so I was getting them bred but it was still a struggle, but I'm very stubborn and wouldn't give up. Like you said it's a repetition thing; one day the light bulb came on and it has been fairly easy ever since. I expect 75% conception and the breeding is easy now.

I breed for other people and only charge $5 per head; I also charge $0.75/km for travel to and from the job site. If I can breed 15 females an hour, I make $75/hour that's pretty good money in my book, and don't know why my customers need to pay any more than that. All my customers synch with at least a one shot PG to cut down on labour and travel costs.

 

[Herman Acres]

Not sure about vets...our technician charges $20 a pop.

 

[Herman Acres]

Exactly. When I first came from the school I was only about 50% conception and struggled at that, but I only bred 5-10 per year of my own cows. By the time I felt a little comfortable breeding I was done for the year. After a couple years at it I was up around 75%, so I was getting them bred but it was still a struggle, but I'm very stubborn and wouldn't give up. Like you said it's a repetition thing; one day the light bulb came on and it has been fairly easy ever since. I expect 75% conception and the breeding is easy now.

I breed for other people and only charge $5 per head; I also charge $0.75/km for travel to and from the job site. If I can breed 15 females an hour, I make $75/hour that's pretty good money in my book, and don't know why my customers need to pay any more than that. All my customers synch with at least a one shot PG to cut down on labour and travel costs.

 

[Herman Acres]

I have a single cow. She's 18months old now.Shes rather small.My vet says she could be bred. I bought her at an auction. So not sure what Brees she is?At the auction they said she was a beef cow.1 guy said probably a dexter.I wish I could Breed her with a Herferd, preferably a black one. But I would take anything. I think she's in heat now cuz she mounts my steer and tries me and my Mastiff.

 

[Dave]

I am not sure what they would charge here. When I was on the coast the vet was $40 for the farm call and $2.10 a minute for the time he was there. Take them into the clinic they charged a $40 chute charge plus time. I had a tech who did it for $10 a head but that was breeding only on 60 head of timed AI in a pretty good set up. We would run 60 heifers through in under 3 hours.

 

[kenny thomas]

I have a single cow. She's 18months old now.Shes rather small.My vet says she could be bred. I bought her at an auction. So not sure what Brees she is?At the auction they said she was a beef cow.1 guy said probably a dexter.I wish I could Breed her with a Herferd, preferably a black one. But I would take anything. I think she's in heat now cuz she mounts my steer and tries me and my Mastiff.

Let your vet breed her. Yes she sounds like she is in heat. Finding someone locally that you can get just one cane of semen from might be a little hard.