How to Prepare for a Farm Vet Visit (Save Time & Money)

The Real Cost of an Unprepared Farm Visit

Large animal vets are typically compensated for a farm call with a flat visit fee plus time. Some bill strictly by time; others include a block of time in the farm call fee and then charge hourly beyond that. In either case, every minute of inefficiency on your end translates directly into dollars. A vet who spends 45 minutes catching cattle that should have been in a headgate an hour ago is not going to reduce their bill because the lost time was your fault.

Beyond cost, preparation matters for animal welfare. Poorly restrained, stressed animals are harder to examine, more dangerous for both vet and handler, and have elevated stress hormones that can affect diagnostic readings. A calm, well-handled animal yields better examination results and safer procedures.

Two Weeks Before the Visit: Schedule Smart

When you book your vet visit, give the practice a clear idea of what work needs to be done and approximately how many animals are involved. This allows the vet to:

• Bring the right equipment and drugs
• Allocate the right amount of time to your farm
• Sequence your farm efficiently with other stops on the same route

Batch your work. If you have routine pregnancy checks coming up, schedule the same visit for annual vaccinations, parasite testing, and any individual animals needing examination. One farm call fee covers all of it. Never call the vet out for a single pregnancy check when you have 40 cows due for pelvic measurements and a bull that needs a breeding soundness evaluation — that is three separate trips worth of work that could be done in one.

One Week Before: Records and Animal Identification

Gather the following before your visit:

• Animal records — vaccination history, previous diagnoses, medications administered and dates, withdrawal time tracking. Organized records prevent drug withdrawal violations and help the vet make better decisions.
• A current animal count by group — how many cows, how many heifers, how many calves, how many bulls. Do not make the vet count.
• Individual ID for any animals needing specific examination — have the ear tag number or brand ready. "The big black cow in the back pasture" is not useful information when there are 40 black cows.
• A list of questions — every question you have been accumulating since the last visit. Write them down. You will forget half of them when the vet is standing in front of you.

Day Before: Facility and Equipment Preparation

Restraint Equipment

This is the single most important preparation you can do. Have your restraint equipment functional and in place before the vet arrives:

• Headgate and chute — lubricated, tested, adjusted to the size of animals being worked. A headgate that does not close reliably or a chute with broken boards is dangerous for everyone.
• Alley system — sorted and functional. The flow from pen to alley to chute should be clear, with no spots where animals can turn around or jump out.
• Sorting pen — a separate holding area for animals that have been worked and animals still to be processed.
• Lighting — if the work is happening in a barn or enclosed area, make sure there is adequate lighting for the examination and procedures being performed. A vet examining a reproductive tract or doing a palpation in the dark is not doing their best work.

Water and Utilities

• Running water with a hose that reaches the work area — the vet needs to wash equipment and hands between animals.
• A clean bucket — large, dedicated for veterinary use, not the same bucket used for mixing chemicals or feed.
• Paper towels or clean rags available in the work area.
• Power outlet accessible if the vet is bringing an ultrasound or other powered equipment.

Day of the Visit: Animals Ready Before Arrival

Have animals penned, sorted, and ready to move into the chute before the vet's truck pulls in. Do not be still gathering cattle when the vet arrives. Every producer who has done this knows the vet stands waiting, the animals are stressed from being rushed, and the meter is running.

Specific recommendations:

• Withhold feed for 12–24 hours before pregnancy palpation — a full rumen makes rectal palpation difficult and less accurate. Check with your vet on their preference.
• Withhold water for 2–4 hours before some procedures (follow vet guidance) — for surgery or sedation, fasting requirements vary.
• Do not run animals hard to get them penned. Overheated, stressed cattle are more dangerous and have elevated cortisol that can affect readings.
• Separate animals being treated from the main herd in advance, especially if working individual sick animals alongside routine herd work.

During the Visit: Your Role as the Handler

Your job during the visit is to manage the chute, keep animals moving at a steady pace, handle recording, and keep distractions minimal. Practical tips:

• One designated person runs the headgate — practice smooth, controlled releases, not frantic yanking. A quiet chute crew is worth its weight in gold.
• One designated person records — ear tag number, procedure performed, any notes the vet dictates.
• Keep dogs out of the work area. A dog that barks at cattle in a chute is a hazard.
• Have children away from the work area. A vet cannot focus on a dangerous procedure while worried about a child near the chute.
• Do not have multiple conversations going with the vet during a delicate procedure. Let them focus.

After the Visit: What to Track

Before the vet leaves, confirm the following:

• All medications dispensed and their withdrawal times (both meat and milk withdrawal, if applicable)
• Any follow-up treatments you are to administer and the correct dosage, route, and schedule
• Any animals flagged as needing re-check and when
• Any diagnostic samples sent out and when to expect results
• Any recommendations for management changes (feed, housing, handling) that came out of the visit

Write this information in your herd health log the same day. Do not rely on memory. Clear records protect you legally, help the vet at the next visit, and allow anyone managing the farm to continue treatments correctly in your absence.