Elizabeth Kohtz
As a Dairy Veterinarian​
I am frequently asked what I do as a dairy veterinarian. While this is a pretty straightforward question, the answer is a little more complicated! Modern dairies are extremely complex and technologically advanced. In the most basic sense, a dairy veterinarian is a licensed animal health professional that is trained to diagnose and treat illnesses in dairy cattle.
To become a veterinarian you must first have an undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts) that usually takes four years of college to acquire. After that, veterinary school is four years. In veterinary school you are required to learn about all species and every student takes the same board examinations to be a veterinarian. Some veterinarians go onto internships and residencies (just like human doctors) after veterinary school. When I graduated with my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine I took a position as an associate dairy veterinarian at a practice in southern California. I was fortunate that this practice trains new veterinarians like they are an intern or resident, but pays them and treats them as a regular veterinarian.
​Traditional Veterinary Tasks
There are many roles veterinarians play on dairies. One of the most common tasks is to perform pregnacy detection on cows. This is done via rectal palpation. Some vets use an ultrasound machine as well. General health examinations and sick cow examinations are also frequently done. When there are birthing emergencies (dystocia) veterinarians are called to assist. Sometimes these end in cesarian sections. Dairy cattle have four compartments to their stomachs and ocassionally will have a twisted stomach or displaced abomassum. These often require veterinary assistance. Veterinarians write prescriptions for antibiotics and medicine used on the farm.
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Consulting
​I do a lot of dairy consulting work. In this position, I work with dairy owners to write treatment protocols for sick cows, train dairy workers to find the sick cows, train dairy workers how to treat the sick cows and determine the reason for the sick cows. Modern dairies have computerized records on every cow. These are similar to the electronic health records your doctor has on you. I analyze these records for the dairy as a population to determine what area needs improvement. I also do body condition scoring (think body mass index for humans) and make recommendations based on these findings. I draw blood to test calcium levels, perform liver biopsies to check trace mineral levels and do rumen pH testing to be sure the ration (feed) is balanced correctly for the cows.
Milk Quality
I own and operate a milk quality laboratory. In this lab I test milk from cows that have infections in their udder (mastitis) to determine the cause and to help decide which treatment is best.
As you can see, there is a lot to do and it can get pretty complex, I can see lots of blog posts in my future!