Get Into Vet School with Real Farm Work Experience

Are you applying to vet school and need Pre Vet work experience that truly sets you apart? Launder Farm Pre-Vet Experience is an intensive, hands-on course designed specifically for vet med applicants seeking high-quality pre vet work experience. Over two immersive days, students work with three key large animal species commonly featured in the veterinary school curriculum- cattle, sheep, and pigs. Whether you're applying to the Royal Veterinary College, Edinburgh vet school, or Liverpool vet school, this course builds essential skills and confidence in animal handling and husbandry.

With expert-led sessions from specialist tutors and intimate small group teaching, even those with little or no farm experience will develop a solid foundation. By the end of the course, students will feel confident and competent in both performing and discussing large animal practices—perfect preparation for vet school interview questions and getting into vet school.

🐄 Dairy Cattle Experience

Our dairy cattle farm experience is a hands-on, educational placement. Set on a working 400-cow dairy farm, this experience is ideal for those seeking pre vet work experience or looking to strengthen their veterinary work experience portfolio with cattle handling and clinical insights.

🔍 What's Included:

• Full farm tour: Explore housing, movement, and cattle handling facilities, learning how large-scale dairy systems operate.

• Veterinary-focused seminars:

  • Milk production, calf management, and vet involvement in herd health

  • Challenges in the dairy industry: bovine TB, mastitis, antimicrobial resistance, and nutrition

  • Group discussions to develop critical thinking—excellent practice for vet school interview questions

• Milking experience on a rotary parlour (2 hours):

  • Place clusters and move cows through the parlour

  • Learn to manage freshly calved cows and cows with mastitis

• Youngstock handling and feeding (1 hour):

  • Get hands-on with calves and heifers, practicing safe cattle handling techniques and routine care

🐑 Sheep Experience

Our sheep work experience module provides immersive, hands-on exposure to core skills expected in veterinary medicine and is perfect for those seeking sheep work experience or general farm experience for vet applicants.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

• Introductory Seminar: Overview of UK sheep production systems, including seasonal lambing cycles and the role of the vet in flock health.

• Sheep Movement & Dog Handling:

  • Learn how to move sheep using both Huntaway and Collie dogs, understanding different herding styles and commands.

• Sheep Handling Skills:

  • Participate in gathering, racing, and sorting sheep safely and effectively.

• Clinical Examination Techniques:

  • Hands-on practice tipping sheep and performing full assessments including:

    • Ageing by teeth,

    • Body condition scoring,

    • Hoof checks and lameness assessment

• Reproductive Assessment:

  • Evaluate fertility of tups and ewes, learn signs of successful mating and common reproductive issues.

• Lambing Essentials (Practical):

  • Banding tails, castrating, and ear tagging models with supervision and clinical explanation.

🐖 Pigs Experience

This module offers a comprehensive introduction to pig production systems and is ideal for students seeking veterinary work experience or expanding their farm experience. With access to outdoor units, you'll develop practical skills and veterinary knowledge relevant to modern pig farming.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

• Production Shed Tour:

  • Guided walk-through of pig housing, understanding welfare, biosecurity, and management practices across different systems.

• Pig Husbandry Discussion:

  • Explore both outdoor production systems, and learn how farmers manage breeding, farrowing, weaning, and finishing stages.

• Pig Handling Techniques:

  • Safe movement and handling of sows, boars, gilts, and piglets using industry-standard techniques like pig boards.

• Disease Management Seminar:

  • Learn about the most common diseases affecting pigs, their impact on production, and the critical role of vets in prevention and treatment.

• Reproductive Cycle Seminar:

  • Understand the reproductive physiology of pigs, from oestrus detection and artificial insemination to farrowing and piglet care.

🐂 Beef Cattle Experience

Our beef cattle experience offers essential, hands-on cattle work experience for students preparing for vet school. Ideal for vet med applicants looking to build confidence with large animals, this module delivers practical skills and clinical understanding directly relevant to the veterinary school curriculum.

🔍 What You'll Learn:

• Seminar on UK Beef Production:

  • Overview of UK beef systems, including suckler herds, rearing, and finishing units, with discussion on economic and welfare considerations.

• Farm Tour:

  • Visit a working beef farm to explore housing, feeding, and cattle handling facilities, including calving areas and winter housing.

• Cattle Handling Demonstration:

  • Learn how to safely move cattle and use handling systems like a race and crush, with focus on low-stress handling techniques.

• Practical Handling & Clinical Skills:

  • Hands-on experience operating a crush, placing halters, and performing a basic clinical examination on beef cattle.

• Veterinary Disease Seminar:

  • Focused discussion on infectious diseases relevant to beef herds, including bovine TB, bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), and Johne’s disease, with insights into diagnosis, prevention, and the vet’s role.

Course information

• Attendees must be aged 16+.

• Course includes: all teaching materials, protective clothing (if required), and lunch.

• Course timings
  Day 1 - 10.30am- 4pm
  Day 2- 9.30am- 5pm

• Not included: Accommodation. Details of local accommodation can be provided upon request.

• Dates for 2025

  2nd & 3rd of August 2025