Buffetting : Small Ruminant Farm Practical Week 1

I stepped into the farm a few days later from the intended period due to a seminar held by the student affairs department for club presidents.

Well, I definitely have learned a lot in etiquette of dining in official dinners; but apart from that everything else was pretty redundant.

Stepping into the farm on Wednesday afternoon; the farm had a good vibe from its surrounding and the supporting staffs.

I officially began on Thursday, because it was already 5pm when I reached the farm in Wednesday. No thanks to Jung who kept me acquaintanced up till 3pm; or was it the other way round?

Mornings were pretty much the same everyday. We patrol the particular pent we are in charge of , faithful number 9 to see if there are any anomalies in the pent like:

1- weak kids
2- weak does
3- scabbies
4- coughs signing pneumonia

There were a few cases of labor death a week before we arrive so there is a bunch of kids which are being fostered , another bunch which only feed on milk replacers.


What we do is make sure the fostered kids get enough milk for the morning; or day by bringing them to foster does to suckle enough milk. Some does can be a pain in the ass for not allowing the kids to suckle because they are technically, not their offspring.

Milking the does seemed to be the funnest thing to do, especially when the teats are filled with milk and each squeeze brings down about 50ml of fresh goat milk.

Not like we can drink them off like that because they ain't pasteurized; plus the milk is for the kids.

Basically; mornings are pretty much nanny duties.

Only on the Saturday morning, we had a lot of fun handling a case of dystocia(difficulties in labor) The doe had a hard time pushing the kid out of her uterus, so we had to step in. Me being the one with largest hand couldn't do anything because the vulva of the doe was thatttt small. All I can do is aid in holding the doe in position while Lady Boss try her best in pulling out the kid from the shoulder. After 30 minutes of drama we managed to get the kid out, make it stand and keep it breathing because it stopped half way through. It was frantic, but certainly a great experience.

Fun stuffs come in the afternoon when the active vet have the time to be around us. Thursday was dull because the doctor had to attend to a course hosted by the farm.

On Friday, we get to look into the does which have been in the estrous synchronization program 17 days before to remove the CIDR-G(Coated Internal Drug Release for Goats). For laymen, estrous sync is a way for human to manipulate the estrous(similar to menstrual cycle in human) cycle in the animals to achieve a controlled time of ovulation in a herd of animals. It's an economical way for better records, herd health, herd uniformity for feed providence, and even manageable inseminating practice.

The does with CIDR-G removed are given injections of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophin(PMSG) to induce ovulation, which usually takes 48 hours for effect. Meaning, Artificial Insemination is best done on Sunday.

On Saturday, we looked into the kids and does in pent 9 to see if there are treatments to be given;
1- weak calves are given vitamins and calcium to boost their strength biochemically.
2- weak does are given vitamins and calcium also to boost strength; antibiotics if there are signs of exudative mucus while NSAIDs are given if they show signs of pain and lameness in their joints and hoofs.
3-Scabbies are treated with Ivermectin according to the weight of the animals.
4- Pneumonia suspected cases are treated with higher strength antibiotics like oxytetracycline.

Over the hour before we end our shifts, we had a session with another vet on the AI program. It gave us a brief outline on what we will do on the next session; encompassing the different methods of estrous synchronization; the methods of artificial insemination; the duration differences and success rates of AI. It was insightful because we only have been exposed to a high cases of cattle AI, practice in goats was really the first and once in a blue moon case. Even the active vet said it has been a while since the last AI.

On Sunday, we finally made it into the pent we have removed the CIDR-G from on Friday. AI in goats is different from cattle in many ways:

1- In cattle, crushes are used in which the cattle is sent into a confined space where it can literally, not move. The handlers go to its rear to mend it AI with minimal effort needed to restrain the cattle since the space itself would do the job. In goats, a restrainer is used like an elevated bar to fix the hind legs of the goat, raising its rear while a restrainer will handle the goat by holding it on to place with the body close to the goat's back close to the restrainer. As this is done well, the goat will have its vulva exposed to the person manning the AI.

2- In cattle, AI begins with rectal palpation in which the handler needs to clean the rectum of the cattle, and then stuff the hand into the rectum in order to feel the cervix. The digestive tract of the animal is right above to the reproductive tract, hence the cervix will be palpable by feeling the bottom wall of the rectum when a hard tubing is being felt. In goats, rectal palpation is not possible because of the size of the goat itself being small. Instead, speculum; a duck beak shaped apparatus is being used to retract the vulva and vagina of the goat in order to expose the cervix to the handler. In goats on heat, the cervix will show red flush, and cherry red mass of flesh when exposed using the speculum. Once the handler sees that, cuing of the sperm prep handler can be prompted.

3- In cattle, AI without visual aid requires the palpation of the AI-gun into the cervix of the cattle completely based on experience and feel of the handler of the AI-gun entry. Something which I have yet to master, and need to because chances are so rare. In goat, AI aided with speculum and pen-light gives a good visual of the cervix view, and AI-gun can be inserted into the cervix ridges. There are 3 stages of gun insertion:
a- intravaginal, when the cervix is not opened up large enough to allow smooth gun entry
b- intracervical, when the cervix is opened, but not deep enough for the complete gun entry pass the cervix.
c-transcervical, when the cervix is opened wide enough for the maximal entry of the gun into the uterine cavity.

Insemination depth stages can be gauged by the depth of the gun entry into the speculum by a standard.

Success rate of the AI without visual aid or laparoscope is 60%, with laparoscope can be increased to 80%, but a higher number of apparatus and man power and skill is needed.

Performing AI on goats, an extremely rare experience has gave me a certain enlightenment :

1- Like all cervix, everyone is different in the inside. What we can do is manipulate our way into their lives.
2- Like all cervix, not everyone is that easily entered; or even can be entered. For those, we really don't need to bother
3- Like all cervix, everyone has a depth which they allow entrance. Some allows maximal, some only allow partial; while some none. Cherish those with maximal, be nice to those with partial, let none go.

Time to wait for the babies to conceive!

Buffetting : Drama in the farm

So we didn't want to actually be on the same group in our 2nd farm practical with a particular girl, Gaga.

Or  at least, I didn't.

I'm a dude who is really cool with girls, REALLY.

I can be your sister, brother, father,husband, temporary boyfriend; you name it I can jam it.

Until, you step on the wrong line.

Our last farm practical with her, wasn't particular pleasant to me.

Everything was chillax until the transport issue came in.

Look, we are friends, if we are THAT close, one would know some decency around me.

If we AREN'T that close, more decency would be expected.

What she did was, she wasn't intelligent enough to settle the transport issue with her family without me driving or around. How insulted one would feel when she was the one actually asking for help, and all 4 other person had to accommodate her ways?

If you come from a single child family; deal with working around people and compromise.

What she did, was when we have decided to use route A; she talked to her family as if we forced it on her when the plan didn't work out for her liking. Look, there are 4 of us against you; we are nice enough to send you to the doorstep of your boyfriends' house. The least you could do is tell your family it is fine, we will use route A and I will be fine.

And talking on the phone about my driving while I was driving? NO.

So that was the previous practical; we made it a point to avoid being in the same group with her for this current practical at ALL cost.

milk time~ 

But it happened.

So today, Gaga, to my dismay decided to go back home again. From my understanding, the sole reason she chose this farm is so that she can go home on weekends.

I was like, screw you bitch. Practical time, stay in the farm and do what others do. If you wanna do what you like, you ain't gonna be on my parade.

Anyway, so tonight she's decided to go home, with her mom.

As we are trying to build good rapport with the vet, we were discussing when to bring her out. So we were talking and thinking that tonight may be the best time.

G: So when are you bringing the doctor out?

T: I was thinking of today. Since you will be out with the family and the car will be lighter, it would even be easier for the Dr to fit into my car.

*awkward silence while the other girls stared at me with disbelief*

I was, blunt. That was what I meant literally.

With people I don't care of, I really just snipe.

The girls thought I was too blunt; you?

Buffetting : Course Taken on Sem 6

So in this cycle of the semester I took up 7 subjects in the university, summing up to about 23 credit hours including an extra 2 credit hours of mural farm practice.

6th Semester, gosh I have another 6 more to go before I get declared as a Dr.

Imagine your name announced across events or even the airport with the title Dr! Not going to end there, I will probably end up with a doctorate too.

Semester 6 has been, well, steady. I finally had more time for myself'; although the first half of it was literally more skewed towards someone else, but later on it skewed back to myself. It was an over-noon skew so I would call it a wham instead.

1- Veterinary Anatomy 3
The last part of the veterinary anatomy trilogy. This semester wasn't the hardest, but the whackiest semester of all anatomy. Learning reproduction with a table of ladies wasn't easy; I had to keep my subtle use of terms and intonations over the 3 hours to keep things fun and heated at the same time. We covered pretty much all the sense; but reproduction was definitely the best one in the bunch

2- Veterinary Physiology 3

Running parallel to the course above as another trilogy; the semester ended with literally STRESS. Taught by my idol lecturer, and a few more others along the way, physiology definitely made anatomy some sense. Or is it the other way round? Nevertheless, I would still have to argue I enjoyed the topics on hormones the most; although I'm more fascinated by the physiology of cows in particular. 

3- Veterinary Pathology 3

Another trilogy begins with learning on what goes WRONG in the system now. New terms on lesions- meaning to describe wounds has been taught while we learn to make intelligent diagnosis on causes of deaths in animals or even human. Being the course representative it somehow made me felt obligated to score in this subject; although I kinda just brushed my way through hoping just for an A over higher grades.

4- Bacteriology and Mycology

4 credit hour-ed course spanning over important disease causing bacteria and fungi in animals; not to mention a numerous numbers which are zoonotic and important in public health- meaning it can spread to human. Apparently we don't just serve animals; we do serve humans too. After all, we veterinarians are the closest reservoir to these zoonotic diseases. I do enjoy learning the course especially labs because we get to see different things and know different methods in discovering new bacteria. When you manage to see the whole picture, all the lines connect and it just startle you on how far human have traveled to get to this point in science. The reason to hate this subject: never-ending memorizing of bacteria.

5- Feed and Feeding

A very similar course to the veterinary nutrition  we had back in 1st year. Yet, this one is much more extensive of the types of feed we have in Malaysia; where do they come from; processing relevance; ensilaging requirements; alternative feed; and animals' feeding regime. It is extremely helpful because we would know what kind of diet to put the animal in during different periods of their life. And example would be a well formulated diet for a cow throughout her period of milking, getting pregnant, stopping of milking, and days before parturition(she gets into labor). This diet will prevent problems like emaciation, weakness, lethargy or death to the cow and the calf. The course was bland, but I could relate to it well

6- Business English

Just to fulfill my two courses of English requirement by the university, the first one being Public Speaking and now the 2nd and last one. Well I didn't learn as much as I thought I would from this course, but its really something to make all of us to get an easy A. I did learn some skills on business writing; not to mention being the director for the Networking Day(pretty much a party) again. Mingling with people outside Vet Fac still awes me on, everyone seemed to pick on me a lot in doing tasks like leading or what not. I'm pretty sure my body size and height totally put me on the lime light to some extent, but really, I wonder what people see in me. BUT, meeting people outside of the faculty once in a while is still fun.

7- Extra Mural Farm Practice

Last, but definitely not the least. I've been through 3 weeks of poultry practical; now to look forward to another 3 weeks of ruminants and 2 weeks of wildlife! The girls I'm going to be with are so fun, I don't think I would want to go home! Wait, maybe I do. Just for the air-conditioner!

So that pretty much sums up the academic courses I've been through for the past 17 weeks; including the semester break and examination weeks. I'm now going into 3rd, paraclinical year.

New subjects.

New timetable.

New club.

New visions.

New expectations.

New set of lecturers.

I should make some changes. Not holding phone during lectures would be a good way to start. Since I'm no longer attached nor responsible for anything else(maybe the equestrian club); I could use some time off to focus.

PS: Naively thinking that I would have let myself off the bandwagon of student activities,my senior was totally right on me being really ambitious and nuts for taking up the job as the President of the Equestrian Club. It wasn't the knowledge or skill to begin with; it was the time to coordinate and present more and more paperwork. 

Yay me. The person who can never keep himself free for himself.

Buffetting : Not that world

Sometimes, it just seemed like, I don't belong to that world.

My thoughts, my dreams, my perceptions; do not run parallel to what IS.

It's okay Tempus.

You don't belong to that world.

Just continue to live on the current one; and hopefully in the near future you get to live in another.

Buffetting : The Lost Smile

Looking through some of the old pictures I had in my younger days reminded me how I used to put effort in smiling.

I was never the good looking one, added with another 40 pounds of fat in my body, I am barely anyone's attention.

But somehow, I made the effort to post best smiles around.

Until I toned down a little on my body size on my last year of high school, the smile was still there.

The smile faded, when I stepped into lower 6.

I was cynical, vindictive and bitter.

The 2 years conditioned me into someone so much tougher than I would be back in my lower secondary years in the old alma mater:

The world is not that beautiful;
You need to fight for what you want;
You are the discard of society, work your way up;
Don't be naive anymore;
It's one man for himself;
Beggars do not get to be choosers;
Lower secondary was a joke;
Sometimes you just have to abide to the quota system;
You make choices, you be wise.

To the point, after I spent 3 years in university; the Dhamma teacher too realized I am now much brighter compared to the times when I was in my higher secondary years.

And I lost my smile, after I know of this incidence's truth. Everything I believed in and devoted, turned out to a dud.

The consequences of my choices in lower secondary haunted my lower secondary life without me knowing it.

I was miserable, everyday I had to bare with something that I know I can't change. And it was my choice prior to whatever which have happened before that landed me the consequence.

It was a headache, literally my first heartbreak.

As I stepped into higher secondary, I realized stuffs.

I was a naive brat.
I didn't see the clear picture.
I thought I was doing the right thing, in fact I was just wasting my time and effort.
I was just plain naive.

And my there goes smile.

Until today, I don't smile like I used to. I can smile, but not the ones which comes out like I truly wish to when I was younger.

It's the process of growing up, I presume.

Until one day, something or someone makes me smile like I used to again. That thing or person will really mark as a significance in my life.

Buffetting : 不惜福的我

给boss的一封信：

Boss!! =D

哈哈，好久没那么叫你了。。

每次看到你都好想问你最近怎样了，可是都不是时候的感觉。。呵呵。。很多事情发生了？嗯，每次在大家面前都嘻嘻哈哈的你，总把事情往内堆。好啦也许你想自己解决，但是，如果真的有需要，不要忘了我们。LOL~ 就算我们看起来有多忙，也总有时间吃一顿饭，聊一下吧 XP

最后，想说声，boss, 我们都会挺你的 ;)

加油噢~

^^

From: 贵人们

我，怎么有时都不惜福呢？

真正地爱护我，替我着想的，都在我身边。

爱人？管它的，闪远点儿。

老狮子可要再干一场大的！

末期考试来吧！

Buffetting : 座边那位

昨晚与友人(对就是你)聊到了凌晨，
偶然发现，
中学生涯的我，竟然没有个令我印象深刻的座边那位。

友人与他的那位，
有了不少的趣事和回忆；
而我，
只有淡淡的遗憾。

就算到了大学，我也不会奢望谁，
主动地把座边留着，
等我进课堂坐在旁。

也许，
我真的不会与人打交道。
也许，
我倒霉地好友总是不在同班。
也许，
我真的就散发强势的气势。
也许，
我已经习惯了一个人。

一起出外，聊天，吃饭，看电影的朋友依然存在；
甚至，姐妹们还想着我会不会又再堕落。

其实我会。
情感上，让我堕落的机率可说到99.9%

而我，也习惯性地，
让自己堕落后；
花些时间爬起来。

然而，
座边那位，在我这一生中，
应该都是空着的吧。

末期加油吧，堕落的你。

Buffetting : 算了就算了

我似乎，又踏过了界限，搞砸了事情；一个开始。

有些事情，

还是别再去理会；

别再去纠缠；

别再去触摸，

直到是时候，

再一次投入。

怎么情感的事物那么难处理？

曾自问情感的事都没问题；现在仿佛丧失了自我。

把该做的做好，一步步来。

到头来，还是自己懊恼，受伤，丧气。

若速则不达。

Buffetting : Being Leo

Few conversations with a friend made me rethink on where I would go being a Leo;

in work,

in friendship,

in love.

I'm typical in the first 2, but was indifferent in the last one.

Although I'm still in this void, it got me thinking a lot; on how I interacted with T.

I don't know, its something quite confusing to think about.

But I should just bare in mind until the next bud emerges.

It's a confusing post I know; but read between the lines then.