The first month!

It's hard to believe I have been working at MSU's south farms for a full month now! I guess time can sure fly when you're having a fun and working hard. I've spent most of my time at the dairy farm and a few days at the beef farms. Where to start....?

I remember saying after my first day at the dairy farm that I learned more in that first day than I ever have in a new job over the course of the first month. They had me practicing how to do tail bleeds, perform rectal exams, roll cows with displaced abomasums, move cows around, and learn about the different diets and the daily schedule of the cows and the farm. I realized after that first day that there would never be a dull moment and I was going to see a lot of action this summer. In the following days and weeks I would work every morning with Dr. Currey and the different vet students he would bring with him diagnosing displaced abomasums, performing rectal exams, drawing blood, administering medication and fluids, dehorning calves, and performing reproductive work with ultrasound pregnancy detections and embryo flushing and artificial insemination with Dr. Gunther. I'm learning more and more that veterinary medicine is not always black and white (even though the cows often are)  :)

I am also getting lots of experience handling cows and calves. Twice a week I go in at 3 in the morning to help with the morning milking. Walking a lot and talking or singing to the cows while I move them in and out of the parlor helps keep me awake along with an early morning "shower" compliments of the power washer as I clean up the parlor after milking is all done. Coffee has never tasted as good as it does those mornings!  During this time I've been able to build on the experiences I had with MMPA last summer and have learned even more about the milking equipment and have been able to help with cleaning and applying the milkers and applying teat dip at the end. Several times a week I also make milk replacer and feed the calves either by bottle or bucket. It's always fun to see how eager they are to see me coming with their breakfast or dinner and also see how much they grow from the time I get to witness their births until they become older and more independent and have more attitude. I have also become an "expert" gator and skid steer driver and have lots of experience cleaning alleyways and gutters and pushing up feed.

I am also busy working on a project at the dairy farm going through records back to 2003 and compiling a spreadsheet with the information of every calf and the colostrum (first milk) they received. I'm hoping to see if there is a relationship between the milk they received or the dam they came from and the later development of a disease (Johne's) that the farm has had trouble with.

My few times at the beef farms were also fun. I have been at the purebred farm twice and have helped with bull breeding soundness exams, pregnancy checks, and embryo transfer work. At the beef farm I was able to tour their facilities and learn about the operation and also helped with a project running cattle through chutes and checking their tails for damage. I'm still amazed how different beef and dairy cattle are in not only appearances but attitudes and demeanor.

Overall, I'm learning a lot and looking forward to continuing to in the next two months!