Cattle trailers have begun rolling into Madison today, delivering 2,500 show cows to the Alliant Energy Center for the upcoming World Dairy Expo. To prevent possible disease transmission among the cattle, the health status of each animal must be verified before they are unloaded, and with the help of volunteer students from the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, this three-day process runs as smoothly as possible.
As part of a program developed by Sheila McGuirk, professor of large animal internal medicine and food animal production medicine, more than 80 students will be working in eight-hour shifts over a period of 56 hours to check in all of the animals. This involves examining health papers submitted by veterinarians who have inspected the cattle at their points of origin from across the U.S. and Canada, and matching those papers with identification tags.
Many cows have travelled extremely long distances, and it is critical to have a speedy check-in process so the cows can be milked, bedded in straw and rest from their long journey, says McGuirk.
“Some of these trailers have 25 cows in them; they’ve been on the road for hours, and they want to get onto the grounds and get the cattle unloaded, comfortable and showcased for the public,” McGuirk says. “This is why the student involvement is so valuable.”
First-time student volunteers receive a course credit after attending an orientation and working two eight-hour shifts checking in cattle. However, second- and third-year students return because they enjoy the experience and want to be involved in World Dairy Expo, McGuirk says.
Third-year veterinary student Amanda Meagher, who is returning for a third time to participate in the check-ins, agrees with McGuirk’s assessment. She plans to work in a general bovine practice when she graduates and feels the experience at the expo has given her a greater understanding of the importance of biosecurity at such a large agricultural exhibition.
“Check-in has given me a greater perspective on what is being preserved through biosecurity,” she says. “I am sure most of us agree that this is a great week of celebration, and we delight in knowing the cows will go home just as happy and healthy as they arrived.”
The program began in 2010 when expo management was looking to enhance their biosecurity. Recognizing that examining each cow would be a tall order for the small team from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection traditionally tasked with biosecurity, the management looked for help from McGuirk, a renowned expert in the dairy field.
Students will be checking cattle from today until noon on Sunday, Sept. 28.
—From University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine news release
