vet student looking for dairy placement

[hazz02]

Hi, I am a first year vet med student at Nottingham uni and am currently trying to look for a dairy placement for summer 2021 for my friend and I.
The only requirements are that there is a minimum of 75 cows and the host needs to have employers liability insurance.
I am based in Leicestershire however we are willing to travel if accommodation can be provided, and we are ideally looking for around the start of June, for 2 weeks.

If anyone is interested in having us, then please let me know.
Thank you!

 

[More to life]

Hi, I am a first year vet med student at Nottingham uni and am currently trying to look for a dairy placement for summer 2021 for my friend and I.
The only requirements are that there is a minimum of 75 cows and the host needs to have employers liability insurance.
I am based in Leicestershire however we are willing to travel if accommodation can be provided, and we are ideally looking for around the start of June, for 2 weeks.

If anyone is interested in having us, then please let me know.
Thank you!

@Beef farmer

 

[Beef farmer]

@Beef farmer

Start of June is a quiet time here. Beginning of August then id be delighted in speaking

 

[cattow]

There’s 350 cow farm at Ibstock that starts calving on 1st February which would be very close to you and looking for help

 

[deleted user 837354]

OP states: looking for placement in summer 2021. I presume they (and friend) will be studying in February etc.

Good opportunity for the pair of them to earn good money over the summer holidays if they can find a big herd and a rotary to stand in? Why only 2 weeks? I'd be asking for money and accommodation for a month!

 

[Beef farmer]

OP states: looking for placement in summer 2021. I presume they (and friend) will be studying in February etc.

Good opportunity for the pair of them to earn good money over the summer holidays if they can find a big herd and a rotary to stand in? Why only 2 weeks? I'd be asking for money and accommodation for a month!

Just remember, to become a small animal vet, you still need to tick off a dairy farm placement

 

[deleted user 837354]

Just remember, to become a small animal vet, you still need to tick off a dairy farm placement

Absolutely, but I would have thought student would be wanting some cash to help with their hangover management?

 

[Princess Pooper]

Absolutely, but I would have thought student would be wanting some cash to help with their hangover management?

Most vet students do not get paid on their Uni placements - they are only there for 1-2 weeks and some have never been near a cow before so they require intensive management. If they wanted paying they would NEVER get a placement. If you are taking on a 2nd or 3rd year with prior experience for a month for lambing or 6 weeks for calving, that is different and I would expect them to be paid. Most Uni placements are box ticking.

 

[Princess Pooper]

I have also found that some have very SPECIFIC requirements regarding timing - for example these require a June placement. Not many farms calving at that time of year or even baby calves to feed, cows are out, opportunities for getting 'hands on' other than milking are much more limited. They have often already filled their summer diary with placements at the local pet rescue, small animal practice or something else and slot in the farm placement last. I appreciate these are first years so it is a much more general view of dairying they need and expectations from them are not high after only one year - that is the students we are used to.

We have taken many vet students or pre-vet students (A level students) but are starting to back off because they won't do a solid 2 week block (yes we do give them the weekend off!) It tends to be 2 days here and then, oh, they need to go and suss their accommodation out so could they do 1 day next week, then they are having a long weekend away and are helping at the cat rescue on Wednesday so could they just do Thursday next week? If they give us a good block then even if we are not calving then we can often work something like worming, weighing or vaccinating in as well as milking.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Most vet students do not get paid on their Uni placements - they are only there for 1-2 weeks and some have never been near a cow before so they require intensive management. If they wanted paying they would NEVER get a placement. If you are taking on a 2nd or 3rd year with prior experience for a month for lambing or 6 weeks for calving, that is different and I would expect them to be paid. Most Uni placements are box ticking.

I get your drift. A bit saddening really. The truth is that a lot of students looking for placements/work experience will actually get more out of farm animal work because you can actually get hands on and do stuff- the opportunities for this in small animal practice will be minimal, particularly with social distancing requirements in place. At least on a farm you might have a chance to actually get your hand inside a cow, bag a calf, inject, milk, hoof trim etc.

 

[organicguy]

We take 3 every year during calving, Aug-September, already booked up for next year.We expect them to do 12 days straight through, they get free food and accommodation and get a massive amount of experience very quickly. I also give them a little pressie as they are invaluable to us, they usually walk 12 miles a day around the yard!

 

[deleted user 837354]

We take 3 every year during calving, Aug-September, already booked up for next year.We expect them to do 12 days straight through, they get free food and accommodation and get a massive amount of experience very quickly. I also give them a little pressie as they are invaluable to us, they usually walk 12 miles a day around the yard!

That sounds far more promising and will tune them to the demands of being a vet.

 

[lazy farmer]

We take 3 every year during calving, Aug-September, already booked up for next year.We expect them to do 12 days straight through, they get free food and accommodation and get a massive amount of experience very quickly. I also give them a little pressie as they are invaluable to us, they usually walk 12 miles a day around the yard!

I would get a time and motion guy in. I would max out at 20,000 steps during calving including milking. And I’m full on.

 

[Princess Pooper]

We take 3 every year during calving, Aug-September, already booked up for next year.We expect them to do 12 days straight through, they get free food and accommodation and get a massive amount of experience very quickly. I also give them a little pressie as they are invaluable to us, they usually walk 12 miles a day around the yard!

Yes, ours are usually offered food but again once we started getting veggies who then wouldn't eat salad and veggies I decided it was easier just to offer breakfast and they bring a packed lunch!! The first vet students we had were brilliant - came from further afield so lived in and stayed 2 weeks, which meant they could come and see a cow calving / help with the calf, bottle feeding at 9 pm or a weekend if they wanted to. Also took them on a day out to Burghley to see another large animal and they can collect literature on health supplements etc from all the horsey stands. The others that go home every day have missed all that. We do always give them a pressie even the ones that are a bit of a pain.

 

[jessica_passey]

Yes, ours are usually offered food but again once we started getting veggies who then wouldn't eat salad and veggies I decided it was easier just to offer breakfast and they bring a packed lunch!! The first vet students we had were brilliant - came from further afield so lived in and stayed 2 weeks, which meant they could come and see a cow calving / help with the calf, bottle feeding at 9 pm or a weekend if they wanted to. Also took them on a day out to Burghley to see another large animal and they can collect literature on health supplements etc from all the horsey stands. The others that go home every day have missed all that. We do always give them a pressie even the ones that are a bit of a pain.

Hello,

My name is Jessica and I am a first year vet student at the University of Bristol. I've been reading your responses on this thread and can see you have had students before and also offer accommodation with some food. I know it's very short notice but would you be interested in having 2 vet students for a dairy placement for 10 days straight (instead of 2 weeks with weekend off) between the dates 4th and 16th of September 2021. We had a placement sorted but it unfortunately fell through so we are looking for anywhere to gain some experience as we had already set aside the time for this placement. We are both hard working and committed to our role and would love to help out around the farm to gain invaluable hands-on experience. If this is something that would be possible, we would be so grateful so please reply and let me know

I look forward to hearing from you,
Kind regards,

Jessica

 

[Princess Pooper]

Hello,

My name is Jessica and I am a first year vet student at the University of Bristol. I've been reading your responses on this thread and can see you have had students before and also offer accommodation with some food. I know it's very short notice but would you be interested in having 2 vet students for a dairy placement for 10 days straight (instead of 2 weeks with weekend off) between the dates 4th and 16th of September 2021. We had a placement sorted but it unfortunately fell through so we are looking for anywhere to gain some experience as we had already set aside the time for this placement. We are both hard working and committed to our role and would love to help out around the farm to gain invaluable hands-on experience. If this is something that would be possible, we would be so grateful so please reply and let me know

I look forward to hearing from you,
Kind regards,

Jessica

Sorry to hear you have been let down, we already have someone from Notts Uni coming late August and I can't cope with more than one learner! I also need time when she has gone to catch up on all the other stuff that I can't really do with a student shadowing me, like hoovering and getting the accounts and VAT return done!

 

[Beef farmer]

Hello,

My name is Jessica and I am a first year vet student at the University of Bristol. I've been reading your responses on this thread and can see you have had students before and also offer accommodation with some food. I know it's very short notice but would you be interested in having 2 vet students for a dairy placement for 10 days straight (instead of 2 weeks with weekend off) between the dates 4th and 16th of September 2021. We had a placement sorted but it unfortunately fell through so we are looking for anywhere to gain some experience as we had already set aside the time for this placement. We are both hard working and committed to our role and would love to help out around the farm to gain invaluable hands-on experience. If this is something that would be possible, we would be so grateful so please reply and let me know

I look forward to hearing from you,
Kind regards,

Jessica

@buffalo_soldier

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Not me either sorry. Got my student booked in for then.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Hello,

My name is Jessica and I am a first year vet student at the University of Bristol. I've been reading your responses on this thread and can see you have had students before and also offer accommodation with some food. I know it's very short notice but would you be interested in having 2 vet students for a dairy placement for 10 days straight (instead of 2 weeks with weekend off) between the dates 4th and 16th of September 2021. We had a placement sorted but it unfortunately fell through so we are looking for anywhere to gain some experience as we had already set aside the time for this placement. We are both hard working and committed to our role and would love to help out around the farm to gain invaluable hands-on experience. If this is something that would be possible, we would be so grateful so please reply and let me know

I look forward to hearing from you,
Kind regards,

Jessica

@Beef farmer ?

 

[Poorbuthappy]

@Beef farmer ?

Sorry, you got there before me!