Days 2 and 3 of Animal Handling are OVER!!!

So, it is finally over, all of my animal handling exams. Yesterday I had sheep and cattle. We got to the sheep shed and I had an 11.10am - 11.20am exam time. I waited around and did some last minute studying, like remembering estrus cycles of sheep and gestation periods, etc. The lambing stuff was easy since I had just spent 3 weeks lambing. I was called in and I had the shepard Archie, examine me. He started out by asking me to describe what breed the sheep were (Scottish Mules, Blackface crossed with a Bluefaced Leicester). I went a little extra by describing why the two are crossed. He then asked me to restrain one and age it. These sheep were extremely easy to catch and just stood there while I caught them. I aged the first one wrong thinking that it was an older ewe because the teeth were small, thin and spaced apart. In being nervous, I forgot to compare body size against age as well. Apparently all the teeth were milk teeth and the ewe was just over a year. He had me age another one and I got that correct since there were 2 sets of adult incisors. He then had me catch a lamb and give the sex of the lamb. He then had me discuss ear tagging requirements, what is important in the first 24 hours of lambing time, hygiene at lambing time, problems at lambing time with the ewes, etc. At the end, I had to identify types of feeds, which I aced, and then identify sheep breeds which I did okay on. Afterwards, we went back to the university cafeteria and ate lunch and had to be back at the sheep shed to catch the bus for 12.30pm.

The bus came and took us to Langhill Farm, where I had a 2.40pm exam time. I changed into my waterproofs and made my way to the teaching shed where the exams were being held. Lawrence, the farmer, came out and got me. The person that was examining me was Wilson. I was extremely happy because I had done a week of dairy with him last July and he was at the revision session last Friday, so he had seen that I could do everything at the revision session already. The exam was very straight forward. I had to show how to put in a mouth gag, discuss stomach tubing, discuss lactation information, identify breeds and then I was done. I washed off and took the bus home and was so tired that I didn't even bother studying for dog/cat. I felt that since I have been working with them for almost 6 years, that I should be fine.

I woke up today around 7.30am and caught the 8.40am bus to the dog/cat shelter. There were 5 of us that met at the bus. We got to the shelter and I still had a couple of hours, so I decided to sit by the beach. It was extremely nice out, but a little windy. We all went into the waiting room and I waited until it was time for me to go in. I studied some cat breeds/colors since I wasn't too great with that and went over a couple dog breeds that I wasn't sure of (Afghan, Bedlington Terrier). I was called out and I made my way to my examiner. She started out by pulling out a pile of dog pictures and asked me to identify about 10-12 of the breeds. I named all but one, and I couldn't remember for the life of me. I said sheepdog. She then told me to give the full correct name. I was quiet for a second and then said English Sheepdog and left it at that. I forgot the "OLD" but was close enough. Old English Sheepdog, very hairy dogs!

I finished with the identification and we then went into the dog pens. The examiner gave me a lead rope and told me to get this springer spaniel out of the cage. Of course, I get an extremely hyper dog for my handling exam... I took the dog out and brought it into the exam room. I had to describe the dog and the coat color, pick it up and put it on the table, give the sex of the dog, administer a pill down the throat, apply muzzle tape, put into lateral recumbency, put dog back on ground and back into the kennel. I then followed the examiner outside and had to describe two cats that were outside. I got one, but the second one was a bit tricky, so not sure how I did on that. I'm confident I did good on the handling aspect and the dog breed identification, but the cats not so sure on. I was quite happy afterwards. I am now finished with the handling exams and now have to study for the exam on Friday, the big written exam. Hopefully it won't be too difficult. Well, hope everyone is doing great and I shall talk to you all soon!