Veterinary student Allen Page learns that cows can be quite affectionate patients. (Karin Higgins/UC Davis photo)
About the state fair
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Benefits: wide-eyed children and healthy animals
(Editor’s note: This story was first written and published in 2006.)
The packed curriculum in veterinary school means that we students see too few healthy animals and are exposed to very little animal husbandry.
For me, that’s where the California State Fair comes in. The experience I gained last year working in the nursery is similar to working on a dairy, a swine farm and a goat farm all at the same time.
Observing and being able to assist with normal births is the first step in knowing how an abnormal birth may occur. I have lost track at this point how many times I have heard, “You have to know what’s normal before you can know what’s abnormal.”
Being exposed to healthy animals is also a nice change of pace, since we see so many sick and injured animals at the vet school.
My favorite aspect of the livestock nursery is the interaction with the public, especially young school groups.
Never seen a cow, pig or goat up close
So many children came through last year that had never seen a cow, pig or goat up close. Their excitement and curiosity was amazing. I hope that we have dispelled the myth that chocolate milk comes from brown cows!
The veterinary school has several duties at the fair, all of which are important and serve different roles.
The activity likely the most important, and least visible to the public, is the health checks.
On the half-dozen or so health check days spaced throughout the fair, a group of veterinarians and vet students inspects each and every livestock animal that comes to the fair.
Since there are several thousand animals that enter the fair, it is a daunting and exhausting task, but vitally important.
Preventing infectious diseases
The main goal of the health checks is to prevent the introduction of infectious diseases into the animal population at the fair.
With animals from all over the state and region, one sick animal could cause a statewide outbreak.
On a less serious note, I thoroughly enjoy the health checks. They expose me to many unusual and exotic livestock breeds that I would not normally see in my schooling.
The California State Fair Nursery is a great experience for both children and children at heart.
I highly encourage you to come and visit the nursery where, on any given day, we can have one or more species of livestock giving birth right before your eyes.