How Old Is Your Vet

[Wanda]

The vet I use has been in the field for 50 years and is great!!! He has plans to retire the same day he dies The prob. in my area is there are no nw ''small herd'' vets around. Most new large animal vets work with horses because that is where the money is.When this vet is gone I am at a loss!!!I hate to think of hauling cattle 80-100 miles for vet work The ones that are left are very busy and not looking for new customers. What do you people in dif. areas do for a GOOD vet?
Mr. Wanda
Mike

[Annie in S.E. Ohio]

Unless you are in an urban area, the large animal vets should work on cattle, sheep, goats and horses, not just horses. Now, in yuppie land they can get picky and just work on horses, but have never seen that a problem in rural areas, yet.

Our vet covers an area with a radius of over a 120 miles because there are so few people, we could use another vet but none want to stay as their prices are cheap, they all leave and go where the money is.

[Jena]

My vet is the best. She's forty something, but has not practiced all that long. She was a late college attender, which is fine with me. She is the only cow, pig, whatever vet around. If she left us, we'd be in big trouble.

I have heard of people who must haul the animal to the vet, or pay farm call charges of $100-200. My vet only charges $35.

Luckily, I learn fast and don't need to call the vet out too often.

Jena

[Razorback21]

Wanda,
My vet here in Southern Illinois is four years out of vet school. Him and his wife practice about 25 miles east of us. I was a little concerned initially about the lack of experience, but his way of explaining things is excellent and gave us great advice on keeping our cattle healthy. For us, it has been like getting an animal health tutorial every time he visits. Jena, our farm calls average about $50 per call, unless the vet can combine trips with a local thoroughbred farm, then it is half.

Razorback21

[Wanda]

Jena
Where is your vet located from Paris? The price is not the main thing with me.If your vet is good with your stock and honest with you they are a good asset!!You also need a vet that will tell you its time to cut the loss and sell them or put the animal down.It does the animal or your bottom line any good with a course of treatment that has little chance of working.If you have a good vet remember to tell them that you apreciate what they do for your stock and you Mr. Wanda
Mike

[Jena]

Mike,

My vet operates out of Paris Vet Clinic on hwy 150 right at the east side of town. Her name is Dr. March. The old vet, Dr. Climer is still there, but he's getting....unreliable in his old age. If you ever call, make sure you talk to Doc March! The number is 465-4841. She is also always at the sale here, as she does the vet work for them.

She is great for giving advice over the phone. 9 times out of ten, she just tells me what to do by phone (for free) rather than coming out. When something is over my head, she knows and will come right out. She also will tell me when to just save the money and haul them off.

She will also tell me when she is in over her head, which I consider very valuable! She doesn't do well with horses. I had her come to preg check one once and she was very honest about her abilities (she was right though).

She lives in Sidney and has a new clinic she opened up there too. I'm not sure where you are in relation to there, but something to think about. I'm not sure if that practice is just small animal or if she does farm stuff out there too.

Jena

[Wanda]

Jena
Thanks for the info she sounds like the good kind.If I am in the area I will look her up. I printed the info for my files. How did your hamburger cow do?
your friend
Mike

[Jena]

Originally Posted by Wanda

Jena
Thanks for the info she sounds like the good kind.If I am in the area I will look her up. I printed the info for my files. How did your hamburger cow do?
your friend
Mike

So far I've sold about 50 pounds of the cow. Long way to go, but I'm pretty certain most of what I have sold will be return customers.

Heck, my vet bought some burger from me. That must say something about my animals huh? I took it as a compliment

Jena

[Wanda]

Jena
I butchered a 4 year old lim. that wouldnt breed because of cystic ovaries and to my surprise she made wonderful beef!!!Maybe I should give more credit to grass fat cattle.She ground a lot of burger since she was 985# on the rail, but when you take all the bone out the yield isn't very good!
your friend
Mike

[Jackpine Savage]

We are fortunate here yet and have a great a great Vet clinic. There are two guys and two gals, they do mostly large animal. A daytime vet call is $18, weekends and nighttime emergencies are $40. We are rapidly losing dairy farms though and they say they are doing alot more horse work.