01/02/2023
What is the OP feedlot challenge?
We as fifth year vet students are tasked with the sheeplot challenge 🐑 as a part of our ruminant herd health and management module.
With food security and sustainability being a global topic, vets play a key role around the world in making changes to achieve these goals, and as a young vet student what is a better way to get a taste of feedlot management than to be thrown into the deep end and learn through practical experience?
How does it work?
Our class is split into randomised groups and we are tasked to act as a mini functional feedlot. We allocate our own group roles which include multiple aspects such as coordinator, being in charge of the feed store and food ration formulation, disease management and monitoring, social media and marketing, etc. Under the supervision of the Drs we learn how to perform basic clinical procedures including vaccination, antibiotic/dewormer administration in the case of our sheep getting sick as well as how to shear, handle and perform tasks such as ear tagging and hoof trimming!
We manage our lambs for 2 months before they head off to the abattoir. Our expenses and carcass values are then compared to see which team has been the most economically successful.
We then lastly write a scientific report and present on each of our topics we covered throughout the challenge!
A lot of hard work and fun lies ahead!! Make sure to share with your friends and family to keep up to date with the progress and sheepnanigans 🐑🧑🌾
If you would like to sponsor us! Please pop us a DM!
