Baxter Black - Veterinary medicine isn't what it used to be

...Livestock have a calculable value, expressed as per head or dollars per pound. With the exception of the occasional ranch horse, there is no anthropomorphological attachment as exists in the pet world. This has always lead the cowman to try and treat the animal himself. If the critter dies, it only evens out what the vet would charge … no loss. But in the last three years things have changed!

Droughts, herd depletion, and demand for beef of all kinds have caused the value of cattle to soar!

Business for rural veterinarians has picked up and continues to grow. Maybe there’s hope. But the good cowman is being backed into a corner. He considers himself capable of pulling a calf, or treating the scours, deciding what vaccine to use, at least he always has…he even did a Caesarian once…’course the cow was dead.

He’s a hard workin’, stubborn, do-it-yerself, thrifty cowman and it bothers him to ask for help, especially if it costs money! It goes against his cowboy mentality. What are the odds?

“Harold, she’s been tryin’ to calve since noon. He’s worth $500 when he hits the ground. It’s time. Unhook those chains and put down the come-along.”

“But…”

“Call Doc Smith.”

“But … but … what if he charges mileage?”

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