K-State Extension news service
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University veterinarians recently aired a long-running podcast at the Kansas State Fair Birthing Center, giving listeners a firsthand look at animal agriculture, livestock production and the birthing process.
For decades, the birthing center has been a popular stop at the Kansas State Fair, where visitors can see calves, piglets and lambs being born while learning about animal health and care.
In an episode of the Beef Cattle Institute’s Cattle Chat podcast, K-State veterinarians discuss what they look for as a cow prepares to calve, when intervention may be needed and some of the common challenges that can occur during the birthing process.
“I get to teach students about helping with the birthing process in a lecture format as well as in a hands-on format,” said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.
“One of the things we stress is don’t get in a hurry. There are times when there might be an emergency, but that is actually quite uncommon. Usually, it’s about letting Mother Nature take her course, and every cow is a little bit different. But we are here as veterinarians just in case something doesn’t progress like it should.”
The conversation also highlights the role the Kansas State Fair plays in agricultural education, particularly for young people involved in FFA.
Linda Chase, Wellington FFA Chapter advisor, has been an agricultural educator for 29 years, including the past 18 years at Wellington. She said giving students opportunities to bring their work to the State Fair allows them to showcase a variety of skills and interests.
“One thing is that we have created a big area for the students to bring things they create [to the state fair],” Chase said. “It doesn’t just have to be their welding projects. This year I had three students that did livestock diagrams, so they built little models of livestock facilities. I had multiple students that opted for building feed rations.”
Those projects, along with hands-on experiences such as the birthing center, give young people opportunities to build practical skills, gain confidence and learn more about careers in agriculture and veterinary medicine.
The episode wraps up with one of the experiences that makes recording at the birthing center unique: The live birth of a calf.
“The amniotic fluid is a mild analgesic for the cow, so there are some pain-relieving properties in the amniotic fluid,” said K-State veterinarian Todd Gunderson. “The cow licking the calf does two things. It dries the calf off so it can get warm, and stimulates it to stand up and nurse.”
The full discussion is available on the Beef Cattle Institute’s Cattle Chat podcast. Send questions by email to bci@ksu.edu.
