House pets such as cats and dogs aren’t the only animals that need looking after. Cattle, horses, sheep, goats and pigs all need veterinary attention, which is why some vets choose to specialise as large animal vets and care specifically for these larger farm animals.
What is a large animal veterinarian?
Large animal veterinarians are practitioners that manage the health of livestock such as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and pigs. All these animals play a significant role in the operation of a farm and their produce is consumed by the general public, so maintaining the good health of these animals is essential.
Large animal vets often work on different farms or make farm calls, meaning there is a lot of travel involved in the role, as well as the need to transport specialist equipment. For many, this is an appealing aspect of the job as it involves a lot of variety, but it does mean that you won’t spend a lot of time in one practice like small animal vets do.
How do you become a large animal vet?
To become a large animal vet, you need to have a veterinary science degree – a course that takes about 5-6 years. There are currently 10 vet schools in the UK that offer a veterinary science degree.
You will need good A-Level grades (usually Biology and 2 other subjects) to get a place on a course – most universities will only accept students who get AAA grades, although some will accept BBC. In addition to this, you will need five GCSEs grade A-C including English, Maths and Science.
Most courses will also require you to have volunteered in a veterinary practice for at least 1-2 weeks or have significant experience working with animals in kennels, stables, on farms or in rescue centres.
A veterinary science course will cover all aspects of animal care for both small and large animals so you can decide which is right for you upon graduation. As with most university courses, it is best to try and get as much work experience in your desired field as possible. If you are specifically interested in large animal care, then you should make sure at least some of this experience is on farms or working with a large animal vet.
Next steps
After you have received your degree in veterinary science, you will need to register with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to be able to practice veterinary medicine. Once you have registered, you can apply for jobs as a large animal veterinarian.
Even when you are qualified, training doesn’t stop for vets – it is required by the RCVS to complete at least 35 hours per year of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and this applies to both full and part-time vets. New research is constantly being undertaken in the field of veterinary medicine, and your CPD ensures that you are kept up to date with the best practices as well as rounding out your knowledge so that you can give the best care possible to your patients.
Most vets choose to become small animal vets, but there is a demand for large animal vets, especially in rural areas. Livestock play an important role in our lives and, as such, their health and wellbeing is especially important. Becoming a large animal vet requires a lot of hard work and dedication, but can be incredibly rewarding.
If you are looking for a position as a large animal vet, or are just interested to see what is out there, you can browse our current vacancies.