Name: Kent Pohlman, DVM

Occupation: Large-animal veterinarian at Dairy Health Solutions

Age: 50

Number of years on the job: 25

I was raised in Stanton, Neb., and have a farm background, which sparked my interest in being a large-animal veterinarian.

I work with 60 farms in a 20-mile radius of Sun Prairie, helping to ensure the continued good health of the cattle and helping the farmers resolve health issues such as mastitis, pneumonia and Johne’s disease, a contagious bacterial disease of the intestinal tract.

I administer vaccinations, deliver calves and work with clients whom I consider my friends on the farms that I visit. Many of the farms are multi-generational, I’ve seen the kids of my clients grow up to run the farm.

I’ve been a vet since 1984, which is when I graduated from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, with a degree in veterinary medicine. I also earned a certificate in dairy health management from UW-Madison. I take continuing education courses to keep up with the changes in vet medicine. I was a vet in Dixon, Ill., for almost five years and provided care to companion animals for 10 years before deciding to focus on large animals.

Much of my job involves problem solving and eliminating suffering of the animals. It’s rewarding to restore an animal to health, but there are times when euthanasia is the only resolution. That’s the hardest part of practicing veterinary medicine. There are complex problems including the fact that I’m dealing with the livelihood of my clients and their emotions as well.

The dairy industry has been tough as prices to farmers are half of what they were last year and many of the farmers I work with say it’s like losing their job when prices go so low.

Working with large animals is very physical work and there’s lots of wear and tear on my body. Many of the vets that I worked with early in my career stopped working with large animals because of the physical nature of the job. There are long hours each day. Because the animals are outside or in a barn, I often have to endure bitter cold weather, rain and wind.

What I Do invites people to tell in their own words what they do to make a living. The column runs every Tuesday. To suggest someone to feature, contact Jill Carlson at jillcarlson1957@gmail.com.