Kate Foran, Tennant & District Times

There is always great variety in the veterinary industry, you just never know what adventures the next phone call will bring!

Recently, Valmai and Steve Jones, who breed Savannah Droughtmasters up at Renner Springs Station, requested a Vet come up to fertility test their bulls.

Quite specific equipment is needed for this procedure, which is not easily available in a remote location, so we turned to our resourceful locals for some help!

Imagine the call to a local plumber :“Mate, we need you to put a few bits of pipe together, to … umm … catch samples from under great big bulls without having to get in too close!”

We visited Buddha after work and watched him rustle up some pieces of PVC and work his magic!

Thanks very much Buddha, your flash handmade implement worked a treat!

Vet Kerry Lansdowne, his Mum Carol (also a vet) and vet student Diana Tomkins left early, for the lovely sunrise drive up to Renner.

Valmai and Steve had mustered up approximately 50 bulls for testing and brought them up to the yard by the Stuart Highway.

Kerry got to demonstrate to final year student Diana, the correct techniques involved and all bulls were put through the crush.

Dedicated to the task, Kerry completed certificates for the bull grading that night when they returned to Tennant Creek.

Thanks to everyone for the great teamwork.

A long day full of adventures was had by all!

This article appeared in Tennant & District Times, 1 July 2022.