Inside The Books
Two practical, real-world guides drawn from over 30 years of hands-on large animal experience.
Cathy Thompson’s books are packed with step-by-step techniques, case studies and over 1000 photos taken on real farms — not staged examples. Designed to be practical and easy to navigate, both books focus on the everyday challenges of working with cattle in pasture-based systems.
The Practical Guide for Cattle Veterinarians is built for vets in the field — covering 50+ common cattle conditions with clear, structured guidance on calvings, prolapses, lameness, down cows and more. Presenting symptoms and possible causes help with quick decision-making, while sections on restraint, facilities and safety support confident, effective handling. View this book >
Veterinary Book for Cattle Farmers brings that same practical knowledge to farmers — helping them recognise problems early, understand what might be happening, and work more effectively alongside their vet. With look-up lists, clear explanations and real case examples, it’s a hands-on reference for everyday farm use.
Alongside practical instruction, Cathy shares memorable anecdotes — funny, unusual and sometimes hard-learned lessons from decades in large animal practice — giving both books an honest, real-world perspective on the job. View this book >
With a strong focus on pasture-fed cattle systems, these books are also valuable resources for overseas vets coming to work in New Zealand, helping them adapt to local farming practices.
Whether you’re an experienced rural vet, a new graduate, an international practitioner — or a farmer wanting to better understand cattle health — these are practical guides you’ll reach for again and again.
No rural clinic — or serious cattle farm — should be without them.
The Vet Behind the Book
Cathy Thompson BVSc
Raised on a Canterbury NZ sheep farm, Cathy developed an affinity for livestock early on. She graduated from Massey University in 1975 when female veterinarians were a minority and began her career as a locum in Dargaville, where she was the district’s first female vet. In those days veterinarians didn’t specialise so had to deal with all species.
After taking time out to travel and start a family she returned to large animal practice in 1987 at the Hawera clinic of South Taranaki Animal Health Services, a forerunner of Taranaki Veterinary Centre where she spent the next 31 years servicing dairy and beef cattle clients.
Here she developed methods to handle large animals which rely on technique rather than strength. She also amassed a library of photos, practical experience and anecdotes which form the contents of this book.
She is a recipient of the Dairy Cattle Veterinarians Golden Glove award for Outstanding Contribution and the Shepherd’s Shovel award for Best Practitioner case presentation to the Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians branch of the NZVA.
Now retired, Cathy is passionate about sharing her knowledge with the next generation of veterinarians, or in her words, ‘sharing the things I had to learn the hard way’ so that they have the skills and confidence to thrive in cattle practice.
IMAGE: Cathy successfully removes a melanoma tumor from a beef heifer.