Description
Expand your veterinary practice to livestock species with trusted advice on all aspects
Addressing the growing demand for veterinary care among small-scale livestock owners, Practical Guide to Adding Livestock to Your Veterinary Practice equips veterinarians with the foundational knowledge needed to confidently expand their services to include food-producing species. Designed for small animal and equine practitioners who are less familiar with livestock medicine, the book contains essential information on physiology, management, handling, and regulatory compliance across cattle, pigs, small ruminants, and camelids.
By addressing common challenges—such as drug-use regulations, client communication, and species-specific care—the authors demystify livestock medicine and provide practical strategies to help practitioners adapt their existing business models. Helping veterinarians deliver care to small-scale livestock operations, Practical Guide to Adding Livestock to Your Veterinary Practice:
- Covers essential principles of livestock medicine, nutrition, handling, restraint, and welfare across key species
- Summarizes current FDA drug-use regulations and offers clear guidance for compliance in food-producing animals
- Provides practical insight into business operations, inventory, and client management when adding livestock care services
- Features focused chapters on cattle, pigs, small ruminants, camelids, and dairy production to support everyday clinical needs
- Serves as an accessible starting point that connects practitioners to advanced texts and continuing education resources
Ideal for small animal and equine veterinarians, Practical Guide to Adding Livestock to Your Veterinary Practice supports any veterinary practitioner seeking to expand into livestock medicine.
Table of Contents
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xv
1 Business Management 1
Michelle Buckley
Farm-Call Versus Haul-In 1
Pricing Strategies 3
Menu of Services 4
Client Education Opportunities 6
Preparing Your Staff 7
Understanding Client Motivation and Priorities 8
2 Navigating Drug Choices 10
Michelle Buckley
Drug Use Regulations – The Basis for Drug Selection in Food Animals 10
Drug Labels 13
Drug Use Records 13
Animal Identification 14
Drug Selection 14
Extralabel Drug Use 21
Antimicrobials 21
Culture and Sensitivity Use and Interpretation 23
Compounding 23
Pets Rescues and Sanctuaries 23
Useful Pharmacology Resources 24
References 24
3 Cattle 25
Allison Vander Plaats Copyrighted Material
Handling and Restraint 25
Restraint 26
Movement Aids (Flags Paddles Hotshots) 27
Venipuncture and Catheter Placement 28
Jugular Venipuncture Restraint and Technique 28
Coccygeal Venipuncture 29
Intravenous Catheter Placement 29
Injections 33
Vaccines 35
General Considerations 35
Notes on Vaccine Use 36
Common Surgeries and Procedures 36
Castration 36
Pregnancy Diagnosis 39
Disbudding and Dehorning 52
Summary of Common Surgical Procedures 59
Calving and Dystocia 61
Stages of Parturition 61
Normal Presentations 62
Aftercare 62
Induction of Parturition and Abortion 63
Calving Kit 63
Calf Jacks 65
Epidural Anesthesia 65
OB Chain Placement 66
Cesarean Section 66
Complications of Delivery 68
Dystocia 70
Neonatology 81
Stimulation 81
At-Risk Calves and Interventions 81
Dairy Calves 83
Beef Calves 84
Colostrum 84
Esophageal Tubing 85
Monitoring Passive Immunity 86
Failure of Transfer of Passive Immunity 88
Neonatal Vaccines 88
Ongoing Feeding 89
Common Diseases and Disorders 90
Lameness 90
Respiratory Disease 91
Metritis 95
Ketosis 96
Mastitis 98
Hypocalcemia (Milk Fever) 99
Prolapses 101
Calf Diarrhea 105
Abortions 110
Abscesses 114
Wounds 115
References 116
4 Dairy Production Basics 122
Michelle Buckley
Lactation Physiology and Its Impacts on Milk Quality Assessment 122
Milking Hygiene 125
Udder Health Challenges 127
Mastitis 127
Udder Injury and Lacerations 131
Udder Cleft Dermatitis 131
Precocious Udder 132
Drug Residue Testing 133
References 133
5 Small Ruminants 136
Michelle Buckley
Introduction 136
Physical Examination 136
Handling and Restraint 137
Nutrition Basics 139
Neonatal Nutrition 140
Ruminant Diet 143
Body Condition Scoring 144
Mineral Supplementation 145
Official ID and Traceability 145
Basic Techniques 146
Vaccines 147
Famacha© 150
Common Medical Procedures 151
Sedation Anesthesia and Analgesia 151
Castration 151
Disbudding 153
Tail Docking 155
Pregnancy Diagnosis 156
Dystocia 158
Common Diseases 162
Abortions 162
Caseous Lymphadenitis 163
Contagious Ecthyma (ORF or Soremouth) 169
Johne’s Disease 169
Listeriosis 170
Small Ruminant Lentiviruses 170
Retained Fetal Membranes/Retained Placenta 171
Barber Pole Worm 172
Coccidiosis 174
Pregnancy Toxemia 174
Prolapse (Uterine Vaginal and Rectal) 175
Respiratory Disease 176
Scrapie 176
Tetanus 177
Trauma/Predator Attacks 178
Urolithiasis 178
Zinc Deficiency 179
References 180
6 Commercial and Show Pigs 186
Allison Vander Plaats
Handling and Restraint 186
Restraint 186
Movement Aids (Whips Flags Paddles Capes and Prods) 190
Venipuncture and Catheter Placement 190
Jugular Venipuncture Restraint and Technique 191
Auricular Venipuncture Restraint and Technique 191
Coccygeal Venipuncture Restraint and Technique 192
Orbital Sinus Venipuncture Restraint and Technique 192
Options for Fluid Administration 192
Injections 193
Vaccines 194
Pregnancy Diagnosis 195
Safety During Pregnancy Diagnosis 196
Ultrasound 196
Progesterone Testing 196
Return to Estrus 197
Farrowing and Dystocia 197
Late Gestation 197
Stages of Parturition 198
Normal Presentations 198
Causes of Dystocia 198
Aftercare and Common Sequelae 201
Neonatology 202
Stimulation 202
At Risk Piglets and Interventions 202
Colostrum 203
Neonatal Antibiotic Administration 204
Supplemental Feeding 204
Creep Feeding 205
Weaning 205
Piglet Processing 205
Iron Injection 205
Ear Notching 206
Castration 206
Tail Docking 210
Trimming Needle Teeth 211
Pain Management for Piglet Processing Procedures 213
Common Diseases of Swine 213
Reproductive Disease and Abortions 213
Lameness 214
Respiratory Disease 216
Neurologic Disease 218
Skin Disease 220
Prolapses 222
Diarrheal Diseases 223
Miscellaneous Diseases 225
Common Surgical Procedures 227
References 230
7 Camelids 235
Megan Righi
Introduction to Species 235
Camelid Herd Management 237
Housing of Camelids 238
Regulation of Camelids 239
Official Identification of Camelids 239
Biosecurity 240
Nutrition Basics 240
Neonatal Requirements 240
Adult Nutrition Requirements 241
Body Condition Scoring 241
Behavior and Handling of Camelids 242
Normal Behavior 242
Aberrant Behavior Syndrome 243
Handling and Restraint 243
Physical Exam 244
Basic Techniques 245
Injection Sites and Intravenous Catheter Placement 245
Nail Trimming 247
Fiber Management/Shearing 247
Dental Examination 249
Tooth Root Infections 250
Vaccines 252
Medications 253
Sedation 253
Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesia 256
Diagnostics in Camelids 258
Complete Blood Count 258
Anemia 258
Blood Glucose 260
Fecal Egg Count 262
Camelid Theriogenology 262
Introduction 262
Male Camelid Reproductive Physiology Pathology and Surgery 263
Castration 264
Female Camelid Reproductive Physiology Pathology and Diagnostics 265
Confirming Pregnancy 266
Induction of Parturition 267
Pregnancy Loss in Camelids 268
Female Reproductive Emergencies 269
Neonatology 271
Introduction 271
Emergency Resuscitation 274
Common Neonatal Disorders 274
Environmental Conditions 275
Heat Stress 275
Predator Attacks 276
Neurologic Conditions 277
Meningeal Worm 277
Polioencephalomalacia (PEM) 279
Otitis Media/Interna 280
Gastrointestinal Conditions of the Camelid 280
Choke 281
Ulcerative Gastritis 282
Whipworms 282
E. mac 283
Dermatologic Conditions 283
Zinc Responsive Dermatosis 284
Idiopathic Nasal or Perioral Hyperkeratotic Dermatitis (Munge) 284
Other Notable Conditions 285
Respiratory Conditions 285
Alpaca Fever 285
Caseous Lymphadenitis 286
References 286
8 Euthanasia of Livestock Species 298
Allison Vander Plaats
When to Consider Euthanasia 299
What Does Pain Look Like in Livestock Species? 303
Methods of Euthanasia 304
Gunshot 304
Penetrating Captive Bolt (PCB) 307
Nonpenetrating Captive Bolt (NPCB) 313
Anesthesia and Secondary Method (Two-Step Method) 315
Barbiturates 317
Electrocution 320
Carbon Dioxide (CO 2) 320
Blunt Force Trauma 320
Adjunctive Methods 321
Loss of Consciousness and Proper Stunning 324
Signs of Improper or Incomplete Stunning 325
Confirmation of Death 325
Considerations When Choosing Euthanasia Method 326
Aesthetics 326
Carcass Disposal 326
Cost 332
Diagnostic Integrity 332
Practicality and Skill 332
Restraint 332
Safety 335
Other Animals 336
References 336
Appendices 339
Appendix A: Inventory Additions for Livestock Species 339
Appendix B: Additional Resources 361
Index 362
