There is a shortage of veterinarians, especially large animal and food animal veterinarians, in rural Colorado. We live on a cow calf operation in northeastern Colorado, and we utilize our veterinarian for tasks like ultrasound for determining pregnancy in cows, administering Bangs vaccinations and the accompanying tattoo and tags for heifers prior to breeding, bull breeding soundness exams and the occasional cesarean section. These tasks all involve copious amounts of manure and various other fluids in large quantities. The weather rarely cooperates and there are solid reasons why a portion of a reproductive soundness exam involves checking for scrotal frostbite damage. It takes a special individual to dedicate their lives – and major student loan balances – to working in extreme weather conditions with large animals that are uncooperative, unruly, nonverbal and often less than impressed by the efforts of those around them.