The perfect experience for Vet school applicants

Launder Farm Pre Vet experience is a 2 day, intensive practical course covering three of large animal species included in the vet school curriculum. The course design, utilising specialist tutors and small group teaching groups, allows students with little or no experience with large animals to build their confidence. By the end of the two day experience students will be confident and competent, both speaking about and performing large animal handling and husbandry practices.

 
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Dairy Cattle
The dairy farm experience includes:
- A tour of a 400 cow dairy farm including housing and handling facilities.
- Seminar on milk production, calf management, farmer goals and the role of vets on a dairy farm.
- Seminar and group discussion on challenges specific to dairy farming including bovine TB, antimicrobial resistance, mastitis and nutrition.
- 2 hours milking experience on a rotary parlour. Includes placing clusters, moving cows into the parlour, and managing freshly calves cows and individuals with mastitis.
- 1 hour youngstock handling and feeding.

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Sheep
The sheep experience includes:
- Seminar on UK production systems.
- Moving sheep using different types of sheep dogs (Huntaways and Collies).
- Sheep handling- gathering, racing and sorting.
- Practical session: Tipping sheep and performing the elements of a clinical exam including ageing, body condition scoring, hoof assessment.
- Fertility assessment of tups & ewes.
- Practical sessions on lambing essentials: banding tails, castrating, and ear tagging.
- Seminar on lambing and correcting malpresentation.

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Pigs

The pigs experience includes:
- Tour of pig production sheds.
- Discussion on pig husbandry in outdoor and indoor production systems.  
- Pig handling - using pig board, moving guilts, sows, boars and piglets.
- Seminar on common diseases impacting production.
- Seminar on the reproductive cycle.

Beef Cattle

The beef cattle experience includes:
- Seminar on UK beef production systems.
- Tour of a working beef farm including housing and handling facilities.
- Demonstration of how to move cattle and how to use common handling systems such as a race and crush.
- Practical session- operating a crush, putting on a halter, and performing a clinical examination.
- Tutorial on common infectious diseases including bovine tuberculosis, bovine viral diarrhoea virus and Johnes disease.

Course information

  • Attendees must be aged 16+.

  • Course includes: all teaching materials, protective clothing (if required), and lunch.

  • Not included: Accommodation. Details of local accommodation can be provided upon request.

  • Dates for 2024

    3rd & 4th of August 2024