Abstract
The American public has experienced a renewed interest in where their food comes from in recent years. This has led to a resurgence in small-scale farming – especially in the face of the Covid pandemic – which presents several unique challenges to veterinarians, including client knowledge of animal husbandry and financial limitations. There may also be a disconnect between veterinarians, who have high standards for animal husbandry and welfare, and producers, who may be unaware of those standards or view them (and the attached bills) as excessive or unwarranted. The following are some insights from my time as a solo, mixed animal practitioner in southern California’s Inland Empire where 99% of my livestock clientele were farms with less than 20 animals. Not every suggestion will work in every situation and some practitioners may find this completely useless. All I can do is share the knowledge that allowed me 4 very happy and productive years as a veterinarian to the hobby farmers and homesteaders of southern California.
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