116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
This Iowa veterinarian’s waiting room is a farm with 100 head of cattle
Dec. 10, 2021 10:40 am
MECHANICSVILLE — While Tipton Veterinary Services sees its typical patients of dogs and cats, it also specializes in caring for large animals like cows and horses — a service needed by many farmers in Iowa.
Dr. Alana McNutt examines a cow to see if she is pregnant and how far along she is for a spring birth during a farm call at Lee Crock’s farm in Mechanicsville on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
The life of a large animal vet can be hectic, with a schedule ranging from surgeries to calf castrations to horse dental work.
Spit flies from the mouth of a cow after receiving a dose of medication orally during an annual check up at Lee Crock’s farm in Mechanicsville. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
Dr. Alana McNutt, co-owner of Tipton Veterinary, specializes in bovine reproduction, which keeps her busy most of the year. One of the clients she visits this time of year is farmer Lee Crock, checking on the status of his cows and the timeline of their upcoming spring pregnancies.
Dr. Alana Mcnutt tells her vet assistant, Katie White, how much medicine to administer to a cow. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
During her visit to Crock’s farm in Mechanicsville, McNutt examined 100 head of cattle, marking down which were pregnant and the expected time of their deliveries. In addition, she and vet assistant Katie White de-liced and tagged the cows and administered medications to ensure they would stay healthy throughout the winter.
A group of cows waits to be examined by Dr. Alana McNutt at Lee Crock’s farm. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
The job of a large animal vet can be a messy one, with most of the equipment covered in feces, mud and spit by the end of an appointment. But it’s just another day on the job for McNutt and her colleagues.
Dr. Alana McNutt and her vet assistant, Katie White, visit Lee Crock’s farm for a farm call and pregnancy check up on 100 head of cattle. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
For Crock, the services that Tipton Veterinary provides are crucial for him to maintain his cattle and ensure they are healthy for meat sales and calf delivery. McNutt has been caring for his cattle for years, and during each appointment the two talk like old friends.
A cow looks over the gate while waiting in line to be examined for a potential pregnancy and to be de-liced and wormed. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
McNutt brings a new meaning to the old image of the country vet who makes house calls. The relationships she builds with farmers in the area and the care she takes for the animals makes her a vital part of the community.
Vet assistant Katie White gives a cow some medicine orally to de-worm her for the season. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
Farmer Lee Crock and Dr. Alana McNutt smile as they look at a group of his show cows to make sure they look healthy. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
Veterinarian Alana McNutt smiles Nov. 23 as she checks a cow to see if it is pregnant and, if so, how far along it is. The doctor was on a call to Lee Crock’s farm in Mechanicsville. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
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