Employing a vet

[dinderleat]

Thoughts? does anyone do it? Does it work? The only down side I would see you would loose the pool of knowledge from using a practice.

 

[capfits]

At present there is a real shortage of clinicians be they large or small animal vets.
You would still need some kind of link to a larger practice for continuity to cover weekends holidays CPD.
Perhaps a better idea if you cannot afford 2 gets then going with one of the large animal specialist groups ie XL.
I have thought at times a farmer cooperative Vet practice maybe the way forward. It has happened in the past, it was how a few practices started until they could pay out the farmers that initiated the coop.
Still a model that is used in New Zealand so I am told

 

[dinderleat]

I don’t think emergency cover would be an issue. Plus I would hope early intervention would possibly stop the need for emergency cover, but obviously there are occasions.

 

[dinderleat]

I don’t intend on employing a vet It was just a thought I had. As I wouldn’t be able to justify it.

 

[puppet]

Big dairy near here, 1000+ cows and as many followers. Used to employ a vet but not now. Farmer does all the scanning, 2 men all the locomotion assessment and trimming weekly. Very modern set-up and a young herd due to a high replacement rate of any cows not performing and apparently hardly see a vet now

 

[early riser]

A lot of farm vets will only be on a £25-35k salary package so employing one instead of a herd manager might not be as expensive an option as you think.

However main limitation is the cost of all the specialist kit (scanner etc) that you would suddenly need.

 

[Homesy]

They may start on 30K but a lot of partners are on 100K +. Then there is continual training and personal development. Possibly an option for a very large farm but even then a bright vet would get bored with the same thing everyday. Marrying one is probably the best option.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

My understanding is, Animal health [or whoever is the regulatory body] will not let a vet solely employed by a business to dispense drugs to that business.
If you employ your own vet, you may still have to buy drugs through a practice.

 

[Farmer Fin]

Drugs is not an issue. Vet can write a prescription then you can source from cheapest.

There are two issues. One is the vet getting stale as having more than one pair of eyes definitely benefits Farms. Second issue is cover OOHs and holidays. Local practices are not often happy to step in unless they are still getting the drugs sales.

 

[Hesstondriver]

They may start on 30K but a lot of partners are on 100K +. Then there is continual training and personal development. Possibly an option for a very large farm but even then a bright vet would get bored with the same thing everyday. Marrying one is probably the best option.

IME
Vet costs go down - i agree
other costs go up


and i guess if one of either party is already married costs go up even further

"renting it by the hour is still going to be cheaper"

 

[In the pit]

Sort your farm out so you don't need a vet as much
We only see our vet when there tb testing
Fertility - use more fertile bulls
Calving-- use easy calving bulls
Feet-- get someone trained to trim and get a decent crush

 

[dinderleat]

Sort your farm out so you don't need a vet as much
We only see our vet when there tb testing
Fertility - use more fertile bulls
Calving-- use easy calving bulls
Feet-- get someone trained to trim and get a decent crush

It was more of paying someone a good wage that has the skills and expertise of a vet to do the stock work with the added benefit of never needing to call the vet out.

Seeing as it seems a herdperson is getting paid more than newly qualified vets.

 

[In the pit]

It was more of paying someone a good wage that has the skills and expertise of a vet to do the stock work with the added benefit of never needing to call the vet out.

Seeing as it seems a herdperson is getting paid more than newly qualified vets.

Can we attract them into milking

 

[roscoe erf]

large milking heard near here employs its own vets

 

[dinderleat]

Can we attract them into milking

Is there not enough other stock work on a large farm other than milking calves, fertility calving vaccines?

 

[In the pit]

Is there not enough other stock work on a large farm other than milking calves, fertility calving vaccines?

Milking is the bulk of the work load is it not
6/7 hours of my day is cows in milk cows out wash down

 

[deleted user 837354]

IME
Vet costs go down - i agree
other costs go up


and i guess if one of either party is already married costs go up even further

"renting it by the hour is still going to be cheaper"

Don't do it!

I used to have a great life, stupid fast cars, played xbox all the time, more money than I could spend.

Now im doing none of the above and my jeans are from Tescos but hell check out the quality of my soft furnishings and interior decor!

 

[deleted user 837354]

They may start on 30K but a lot of partners are on 100K +. Then there is continual training and personal development. Possibly an option for a very large farm but even then a bright vet would get bored with the same thing everyday. Marrying one is probably the best option.

There isn't the same potential to be a partner as practices sell out to big companies now. A lot of vets graduate, do 4-7 years and hit 30 before realising where its heading and changing career. Being fairly clever people they can do it quite readily.

Had someone try to talk me into studying as a Vet. No fudging way with cherries on top.

 

[Whitewalker]

Don't do it!

I used to have a great life, stupid fast cars, played xbox all the time, more money than I could spend.

Now im doing none of the above and my jeans are from Tescos but hell check out the quality of my soft furnishings and interior decor!

Marriage? Don’t like your wife ?

 

[Farmer Fin]

There isn't the same potential to be a partner as practices sell out to big companies now. A lot of vets graduate, do 4-7 years and hit 30 before realising where its heading and changing career. Being fairly clever people they can do it quite readily.

Had someone try to talk me into studying as a Vet. No fudging way with cherries on top.

Correct! Hence why I’m back on the family farm earning a fortune - oh wait [emoji848]