Vet charges

[Sandpit Farm]

I'm a little unfamiliar with callout charges for vets as I rarely need a vet.

However, as we have now moved. In order for me to get Spectam, general antibiotics and even sundries or advice on vaccination... I need a vet visit. Fine - RCVS rules. I have just been quoted £72 for a vet to come 10 miles and check I have sheep. I don't need a special trip, just a call in when convenient.

what sort of prices are others paying (if you don't mind)?

 

[Sussex Martin]

One of our local vets have a scheme where they have a different area for a different day and and if you book an appointment on that day then there is no call out fee just a mileage fee from their last job. They are a large practice and would have call out vets on duty too. Can't remember what I was charged for a call out (been a long time).

 

[Paddington]

We pay around £20 call out(12 miles from vets). Is he/she going to treat them/offer advice on future treatments or just check that you do have sheep? I did once ask if they could pop in to check some routine matter if ever they were passing and was told that unlike James Herriott they were never passing but would only come out for an appointment.

 

[jade35]

I'm a little unfamiliar with callout charges for vets as I rarely need a vet.

However, as we have now moved. In order for me to get Spectam, general antibiotics and even sundries or advice on vaccination... I need a vet visit. Fine - RCVS rules. I have just been quoted £72 for a vet to come 10 miles and check I have sheep. I don't need a special trip, just a call in when convenient.

what sort of prices are others paying (if you don't mind)?

Are the practice allowing a set length of time for the vets visit? ie 30 mins / 1 hour to talk to you and see your set up?

Are there any other vet practices in the area?

 

[Sandpit Farm]

Are the practice allowing a set length of time for the vets visit? ie 30 mins / 1 hour to talk to you and see your set up?

Are there any other vet practices in the area?

There are a few other practices but not so much in the way of farm practices.

£72 May well include a bit of time but it was the receptionist who told me. A new girl has set up a small practice in Banbury and will visit for £30 on Monday, I have found she is looking after a couple of calf units in the next village. £30 call out and £80/hr seems fair.

It's such a lot of money though... Just for a bottle of Spectam!

 

[uztrac]

I am sometimes amazed at what people call exorbitant rates for services. e.g. Local Solictor £ 100.00 plus per hour,Main dealership car servicing £ 120.00 per hour.,and the vet comes to you for heavens sake for much less !!!

 

[Sandpit Farm]

I am sometimes amazed at what people call exorbitant rates for services. e.g. Local Solictor £ 100.00 plus per hour,Main dealership car servicing £ 120.00 per hour.,and the vet comes to you for heavens sake for much less !!!

The vet needs to see I have sheep before I can order my Spectam. That's all I need. £72 + £20 (per bottle of spectam). That's expensive for that isn't it?

That's like a car dealership charging you £120 to check you have a BMW before selling you a part.

 

[mrs mtx]

I had the same sort of problem, I went to the vets asking for a sedative for my horse to go in his food (he'd allowed us to clip one side and wouldn't let us go near the other so he looked a bit of a tool) and they wanted to call out to check I had a horse even though he lives on the farm they always go to and would have seen him in th field and I work in a pharmacy so if I wanted to just take drugs I could have got something a bit more hard core, so as they were coming out I just paid the extra for them to actually sedate him and I think it cost about £40 for the call out and were about 6 miles from the vets

 

[aggravated farmer]

If it costs to little your not farming right.

 

[Tim W]

Imagine it's just a procedure for first time clients----get going with them and next time they will just put a bottle up for you to collect?
Alternatively do away with the need for Spectam

But as pointed out £70 is not OTT compared to other 'professionals'

 

[Notquiteretired]

If you are new to the area phone a couple of the local practice up and ask for one of the farm vet partners to give you call to discuss your business and on going requirements. Find out areas of specialisation DCHPs or DBR holders (just going off your Avatar and monster foetus you posted), any newsletters they can post you, their website will give you an idea of the sort of business they are.
Might be worth finding which vets the previous owners/tenants used as there may be environmental issue the vets are already aware of eg poor shed ventilation / mineral deficiency
Go visit them are they 99% small animal? Are they part of a corporate (CVS or IVC)
Who do your immediate neighbours use and why? (cheap 'passing' visits in the future)

Don't forget you are worth a lot more than a £20 bottle of Spectam to any decent vet.

 

[gone up the hill]

I'm a little unfamiliar with callout charges for vets as I rarely need a vet.

However, as we have now moved. In order for me to get Spectam, general antibiotics and even sundries or advice on vaccination... I need a vet visit. Fine - RCVS rules. I have just been quoted £72 for a vet to come 10 miles and check I have sheep. I don't need a special trip, just a call in when convenient.

what sort of prices are others paying (if you don't mind)?

RCVS rules state that a vet has to visit/ see the livestock on a clients farm at least once in every 12 calendar months..

Not unreasonable that they want to come out and see you given that you are new to the area, you know you are a genuine farmer/ livestock keeper but how are they to know that unless they actually visit your farm?

As for you question, the majority of farmers wont have to pay for a visit such as you need as their vet will be on farm for TB testing/ an emergency at some point thru the year..

£72 sounds reasonable if you allow for a callout fee/ half hour on site chatting to you about your livestock etc..

 

[Notquiteretired]

RCVS rules state that a vet has to visit/ see the livestock on a clients farm at least once in every 12 calendar months..

Not unreasonable that they want to come out and see you given that you are new to the area, you know you are a genuine farmer/ livestock keeper but how are they to know that unless they actually visit your farm?

As for you question, the majority of farmers wont have to pay for a visit such as you need as their vet will be on farm for TB testing/ an emergency at some point thru the year..

£72 sounds reasonable if you allow for a callout fee/ half hour on site chatting to you about your livestock etc..

Not sure about the once a year... good luck you and your vet!

Under his care
4.9 The Veterinary Medicines Regulations do not define the phrase 'under his care' and the RCVS has interpreted it as meaning that:

a. the veterinary surgeon must have been given the responsibility for the health of the animal or herd by the owner or the owner's agent

b. that responsibility must be real and not nominal

c. the animal or herd must have been seen immediately before prescription or,

d. recently enough or often enough for the veterinary surgeon to have personal knowledge of the condition of the animal or current health status of the herd or flock to make a diagnosis and prescribe

e. the veterinary surgeon must maintain clinical records of that herd/flock/individual

4.10 What amounts to 'recent enough' must be a matter for the professional judgement of the veterinary surgeon in the individual case.

4.11 A veterinary surgeon cannot usually have an animal under his or her care if there has been no physical examination; consequently a veterinary surgeon should not treat an animal or prescribe POM-V medicines via the Internet alone.

 

[bovine]

I saw the title of the thread and have to say I am impressed by the replies.

The animals legally need to be under the care of a vet. That needs to be more than a nominal responsibility - the animals need to be physically seen. You can't just request a bottle of Spectam, the prescribing vet needs to make enquiries as to whether the product is appropriate. Chances are you will want other drugs and the vet needs to know you are responsible and capable of using them appropriately.

In all truth - if the client had a couple of hundred dairy cows and was going to be spending thousands with the practice then I wouldn't charge for the initial visit. A smallholder takes more work and spends less with the practice so I would charge. A call out and 30 mins would cost similar to what the OP was quoted (plus VAT). Very reasonable for professional time.

 

[Cowcalf]

they do not seem to realise if you want drugs for a high there are other sources

 

[gone up the hill]

Not sure about the once a year... good luck you and your vet!

Under his care
4.9 The Veterinary Medicines Regulations do not define the phrase 'under his care' and the RCVS has interpreted it as meaning that:

a. the veterinary surgeon must have been given the responsibility for the health of the animal or herd by the owner or the owner's agent

b. that responsibility must be real and not nominal

c. the animal or herd must have been seen immediately before prescription or,

d. recently enough or often enough for the veterinary surgeon to have personal knowledge of the condition of the animal or current health status of the herd or flock to make a diagnosis and prescribe

e. the veterinary surgeon must maintain clinical records of that herd/flock/individual

4.10 What amounts to 'recent enough' must be a matter for the professional judgement of the veterinary surgeon in the individual case.

4.11 A veterinary surgeon cannot usually have an animal under his or her care if there has been no physical examination; consequently a veterinary surgeon should not treat an animal or prescribe POM-V medicines via the Internet alone.

I refer you to point 4.11... if your a decent farmer that knows his stuff then once a year is enough but in reality the majority of farms will have a vet on site for something at least every 2/3 months on average.

 

[neilo]

Imagine it's just a procedure for first time clients----get going with them and next time they will just put a bottle up for you to collect?
Alternatively do away with the need for Spectam

But as pointed out £70 is not OTT compared to other 'professionals'

Agreed. I'm pretty sure it's a legal requirement for them to have to visit/inspect your stock at least annually, so that they are legally 'under their care', before they can prescribe anything at all.

I suspect the £72 is for call out and 30 mins of time, but probably worth checking.

I pay quite a low call out, but then the surgery is only a couple of hundred yards from my nearest gate. Sometimes certification means they have to do a visit, otherwise I try to run down with the quad/trailer. Hourly rate is more than £70, but drugs as cheap as t'internet prices generally.

 

[bovine]

I refer you to point 4.11... if your a decent farmer that knows his stuff then once a year is enough but in reality the majority of farms will have a vet on site for something at least every 2/3 months on average.

I agree, but a calving at midnight doesn't really give the option to examine the general stock, state of husbandry and need for medicines.

I can see this being something that we have to enforce more seriously in future. It is a farm assurance requirement for beef and sheep to have a vet on farm at least once per year.

 

[Notquiteretired]

I remember the FABPig scheme and the vet had to be on site once a month in order to dispense on the farmers say so - no idea if still running.

 

[gone up the hill]

I agree, but a calving at midnight doesn't really give the option to examine the general stock, state of husbandry and need for medicines.

I can see this being something that we have to enforce more seriously in future. It is a farm assurance requirement for beef and sheep to have a vet on farm at least once per year.

Lol don't bring the swear words that are farm assurance into this thread!!

But yes you are right about the farm assurance rules/ calving a cow at midnight.

Only good thing to come from TB testing is that your own vet is on farm to see all the cattle/ chat to the farmer about any issues etc ( be that cattle or sheep ) with the benefit the farmer will talk at detail about any problems as they know they wont be charged for it, which is why there is great concern among vets in regards that the new TB testing tenders will mean they wont have as much chance to see their clients/ stock if the TB testing is given to another vet practice.. ( and I understand there is a massive row brewing as XL vets have been awarded all but one of the regions for TB testing in Britain.