Large Animal or Mixed Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

Honddu Vets is a thriving independent mixed practice nestled in Brecon, with the stunning Brecon Beacons as your daily backdrop. You’ll join an 11-vet team ranging from recent graduates to partners with over 25 years’ experience, working a sustainable 4-day week (8:30 am–5:30 pm) with a fixed day off and just 1:12 Saturday mornings (9 am–1 pm).

Your caseload will be beautifully varied: approximately 50% large animal work (predominantly family-run beef and sheep enterprises with a strong preventative health focus), 40% small animal, and 10% equine. Whether you thrive on the variety of true mixed practice or prefer to concentrate on large animal work, there’s flexibility here. You’ll move between ambulatory visits across stunning countryside, in-clinic emergencies, and TB testing duties, supported by two dedicated ATT testers and an RVN who accompanies you on large animal days.

The team operates with genuine collaboration: daily morning huddles keep everyone aligned, monthly clinical meetings foster knowledge-sharing, and the culture is refreshingly supportive—they even do workplace yoga together (though coffee is essential afterwards). Recent team members describe the landscape as breathtaking, farmers as genuinely welcoming, and the atmosphere as part of a developing, forward-thinking practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver mixed or large animal veterinary care across clinic and ambulatory settings
• Manage routine check-ups and complex surgical cases with a diverse rural caseload
• Participate in the structured rota: large animal work split between ambulatory duties, clinic/emergencies, and TB testing
• Contribute to daily team huddles and monthly clinical meetings
• Engage in zone days for efficient travel and client service
• Support preventative herd health initiatives with loyal farming clients
• Participate in 1:8 first on-call and 1:8 second on-call out-of-hours rota (accommodation available on site during on-call)

Requirements

• Qualified veterinary surgeon (MRCVS or eligible to register)
• Experience in large animal or mixed practice (or willing to develop expertise)
• Open to candidates at any stage: experienced surgeons, GDP trainees, or recent graduates
• Strong communication skills and genuine interest in client and farmer relationships
• Flexibility and enthusiasm for varied caseload and rota structure

Benefits

• Salary: £37,000–£60,000 depending on experience
• Work-life balance: 4-day week, fixed day off, 1:12 Saturday mornings only
• Holiday: 22 days holiday plus bank holidays (based on 4-day week), with time off in lieu if a bank holiday is worked
• Out-of-hours: OOH bonus per call seen; on-site accommodation available during on-call shifts
• Professional development: CPD encouraged and funded; certificates supported
• Professional fees: RCVS, VDS, and BCVA fees paid
• Work vehicle: Provided
• Family support: Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption leave and generous sick pay
• Workplace nursery scheme available
• Career progression: Potential for future practice investment for the right candidate
• Accommodation: Potentially available

About the Practice

Honddu Veterinary Practice is an independent, full-service veterinary clinic in Brecon, Powys, providing professional, caring first-class healthcare for companion, equine, and farm animals across a large area of South Wales. Offering 24-hour veterinary care, the practice is built on genuine independence, strong community ties, and a commitment to the highest standards of animal welfare.

The practice recently moved into a purpose-built facility packed with modern equipment: two dedicated large animal consultation and surgical rooms, a dedicated large animal laboratory and prep area, and comprehensive small animal facilities. With an 11-vet team ranging from recent graduates to experienced partners (Lizzy, Huw, and Helen), the culture balances clinical excellence with personal well-being. Team members genuinely socialise outside work—beyond annual summer BBQs and Christmas parties, they enjoy dog walks, hiking, cycling, and kayaking in the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains, all within easy reach of Cardiff and Bristol.