Post by genebo on Sept 8, 2014 1:40:49 GMT
My long-time vet. Dr. Cole, is a contract vet for a number of dairies in Virginia and surrounding states. Busy, busy, busy. Yet he always manages to fit me in whenever I call him.
Friday he was here to do health inspections, required tests, give required vaccinations and issue health certificates. Oh, and Tattoo a few calves!
He was expecting to examine two cows and two calves, but when he arrived, there were eight Dexters waiting for service. He pitched in right away. Alainn went into the head gate first. She got a bangs vaccine, a registration tattoo and had a bangs tag inserted into her ear. Then her Mama had to have blood drawn for a test that PA requires, plus a permanent metal ear tag in order to cross state lines.
Having them in the head gate was a big help, for it gave him full access to do his examination. Most of it, the cattle don't mind, but putting in ear tags and doing tattoos is guaranteed to cause a fuss. Especially since my tattoo pliers weren't working right, and wouldn't release. He had to pry them off the ears after squeezing.
Triu and Vera got their tattoos, then Dara got her travel tag and exam. Holding Adam One was a challenge, but Doc had me hold his tiny head down in the headgate and it held him just fine. Good thing, for Adam One did not like being tattooed. You could tell it hurt. So did getting the travel tag. Afterward they could all feel resentful of the treatment that Dr. Cole had subjected them to. Me? I didn't do anything to hurt them. They could still love me.
Little McBrenn needed a registration tattoo, and that was all, except for Brenn.
Brenn had hurt his hind leg again while breeding. It has gotten to the point that he is lame for a couple of days after every breeding. It started nearly 3 years ago, when he fell of and did some nerve damage to his right hind leg. It was made worse when he hurt his left front hoof and had to go to the tilt table to have it worked on.
www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/cattle/513036-visit-tilt-table.html
Dr. Cole got Brenn to walk around for him while I put McBrenn in the headgate. He looked him over carefully, then told me that I may have to prevent him from breeding for a couple of months, to give him time to recover.
He said that many of the dairies or beef cattle farms would not keep him once he was injured. It's a common breeding accident among breeding bulls and almost always ends their careers. It is only the fact that he is a Dexter and a pet that keeps him, when others would go. I had to agree with the doc, and told him that he really knew me and Brenn quite well.
A quick squeeze of the tattoo pliers on McBrenn's ear and we were done. Dr. Cole took off the coveralls he had donned when he arrived, jumped in his truck, and raced to his next job. On board his truck were a jar of homemade fig preserves and a dozen fresh eggs.
When his bill comes, I'll probably shake my head and wonder how he can charge so little, then tack a little bit more on, so the next time I call him he'll be sure to fit me in again.
Friday he was here to do health inspections, required tests, give required vaccinations and issue health certificates. Oh, and Tattoo a few calves!
He was expecting to examine two cows and two calves, but when he arrived, there were eight Dexters waiting for service. He pitched in right away. Alainn went into the head gate first. She got a bangs vaccine, a registration tattoo and had a bangs tag inserted into her ear. Then her Mama had to have blood drawn for a test that PA requires, plus a permanent metal ear tag in order to cross state lines.
Having them in the head gate was a big help, for it gave him full access to do his examination. Most of it, the cattle don't mind, but putting in ear tags and doing tattoos is guaranteed to cause a fuss. Especially since my tattoo pliers weren't working right, and wouldn't release. He had to pry them off the ears after squeezing.
Triu and Vera got their tattoos, then Dara got her travel tag and exam. Holding Adam One was a challenge, but Doc had me hold his tiny head down in the headgate and it held him just fine. Good thing, for Adam One did not like being tattooed. You could tell it hurt. So did getting the travel tag. Afterward they could all feel resentful of the treatment that Dr. Cole had subjected them to. Me? I didn't do anything to hurt them. They could still love me.
Little McBrenn needed a registration tattoo, and that was all, except for Brenn.
Brenn had hurt his hind leg again while breeding. It has gotten to the point that he is lame for a couple of days after every breeding. It started nearly 3 years ago, when he fell of and did some nerve damage to his right hind leg. It was made worse when he hurt his left front hoof and had to go to the tilt table to have it worked on.
www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/cattle/513036-visit-tilt-table.html
Dr. Cole got Brenn to walk around for him while I put McBrenn in the headgate. He looked him over carefully, then told me that I may have to prevent him from breeding for a couple of months, to give him time to recover.
He said that many of the dairies or beef cattle farms would not keep him once he was injured. It's a common breeding accident among breeding bulls and almost always ends their careers. It is only the fact that he is a Dexter and a pet that keeps him, when others would go. I had to agree with the doc, and told him that he really knew me and Brenn quite well.
A quick squeeze of the tattoo pliers on McBrenn's ear and we were done. Dr. Cole took off the coveralls he had donned when he arrived, jumped in his truck, and raced to his next job. On board his truck were a jar of homemade fig preserves and a dozen fresh eggs.
When his bill comes, I'll probably shake my head and wonder how he can charge so little, then tack a little bit more on, so the next time I call him he'll be sure to fit me in again.