Animal sciences students host fest event

Exponent file photo LITTLE LAMBS: Children pet a lamb at the Boiler Barnyard during last year's Spring Fest.

By Julie Glaser
Staff Writer

From working dog demonstrations to pig ultrasounds, the students of the department of animal sciences plan to entertain and educate those who visit their Boiler Barnyard this weekend.

Boiler Barnyard is a part of this weekend’s Spring Fest and will be taking place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The Boiler Barnyard will be set up in a large tent outside of Smith Hall and will offer a variety of activities and displays. There will be working dog and horse demonstrations, pig ultrasounds, interactive educational computer software, coloring contests for children and an animal trivia game with prizes.

Molly Sutherly, a senior in the School of Agriculture and the student chairperson of Boiler Barnyard, said Michael Neary, extension sheep specialist in the department of animal sciences, will conduct the dog demonstrations.

"He uses border collies to herd sheep and uses calls and signals to herd them from left to right," said Sutherly.

The pig ultrasound demonstration, said Sutherly, is to educate people about the process farmers use to determine how lean their pigs are by measuring the pigs' back fat before taking them to market.

In addition, livestock will be on display in the barnyard, including market lambs, market hogs, two market steer and a horse.

"It’s neat for people who have never seen those animals to come and see them up close," said Sutherly.

There will be displays including a computer with an interactive touch screen to educate people about the animal industry and how to be smart consumers.

According to Barry Delks, coordinator of career services and alumni relations for the department of animal sciences, students of the Animal Science Student Ambassadors are responsible for the majority of the preparation done for the Boiler Barnyard and have been planning this weekend’s events since last fall.

"The students do a fabulous job and put in a lot of hours," said Delks.

The Animal Science Student Ambassadors have also enlisted the help of other student organizations, including the Block and Bridle Club, the Dairy Club and the Avian Club.

According to Sutherly, the Dairy Club will be selling ice cream and hosting a milk mustache contest. Block and Bridle will be selling food, and the Avian Club will have baby chicks on display.

Sutherly said, "The purpose of Boiler Barnyard is to help people gain a better understanding of the animal industry, to have fun and to experience things they’ve never seen before."

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