We have identified education in primary care as our number one goal. In order to provide hands-on experience and additional technical and management experiences, we would like to expand our bovine teaching herd.
We in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Texas A&M University are excited to have enthusiastic faculty members and enthusiastic students interested in bovine medicine and surgery. As part of our strategic planning process for the coming years, we have identified education in primary care as our number one goal in clinical teaching. In order to provide hands-on experience for students in the first three years of the curriculum and additional technical and management experiences for all of our students, we would like to expand our bovine teaching herd. We have the commitment of the school and of the department to provide the land, feed, hay and other supplies necessary to maintain the herd. We are seeking assistance in assembling the herd from people and people and organizations like you. Our goal is to grow our herd from the nine Holstein cows we currently have to a herd of about 50 beef cattle. Not only will this herd be used in laboratories where students learn and practice physical examinations, foot trims, restraint and bleeding techniques, and rectal palpation, but we will also incorporate the student chapter of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners into the management decision-making process during the entire year. This herd will make our teaching efforts more effective and will be of substantial tangible benefit to our students interested in bovine practice. The end result will be graduating veterinarians with more interest and experience in bovine medicine ready to accept the challenges of the profession and the industry in Texas and the rest of the country. We want to be leaders in beef cattle veterinary education and we’re asking for your help.
You can help us individually or collectively by monetary donations or donations of cattle. Because we’re trying to “do things right,” and practice what we teach, we are trying to ensure the biosecurity of this herd. Therefore, we will require that any cattle donated be tested for several infectious diseases before entering the herd. We will, of course, require the same testing of any cattle we purchase with the donated funds. We can assure you that every penny collected will be used to purchase cattle for this herd. It is our firm intent to maintain this herd on a permanent basis and have it be a renewable resource for our students. Donors who provide a breeding age female or $1000 will be recognized by allowing them to “name” the animal. The name will appear on the ear tag as long as the cow is in the herd. It may be a clinic name, company name, your name, or anything you choose. Donors will also be recognized on a plaque in the Large Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital.