Post by hazelsmilker on Aug 23, 2010 10:25:44 GMT -5
www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/article_9b6144e8-ab62-11df-a636-001cc4c002e0.html
A "fistulated" cow that played an important role in research at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University died last week.
"Beatrice" was about 21 years old and had been at the college since at least 1993.
Her abdomen was fitted with a small plastic device call a "cannula," through which researchers and students could directly observe the digestive process.
"It's like a rubber stopper," explained Betsy Snyder, a technician with the large-animal program at OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. After a hole was cut in Beatrice's side, a donut-shaped implement was fitted to the incision. The "hole" of the piece was removable and allowed researchers and students to actually reach inside the cow.
The Jersey cow was the college's resident donor of rumen fluid to cows and camelids at the Lois Bates Acheson Teaching Hospital. Rumen fluid contains numerous bacteria that aid in digestion and promote the absorption of nutrients into an animal. The fluid could be "harvested" from Beatrice via the cannula.
Several of the hospital's clients also purchased this "liquid gold" to help their animals at home, Snyder said.
"If you've got an animal at home that's not eating, or it's been off food and you need to kind of jump start their intestinal tract ... you can introduce the rumen fluid from another animal and it'll jump-start their system."
Snyder wasn't sure exactly what Beatrice's cause of death was, but she said 21 years was "ancient" for a cow. The bovine also had bad arthritis in her joints and had been having difficulty moving around.
But she used to be quite spry.
"‘B-Cow,' as she was known, had quite a personality in her younger days," Snyder said. "She even made it into a couple of faculty offices on occasion, put in an appearance or two at holiday parties, and there wasn't a gate on the grounds she couldn't open if it wasn't safely secured."
Beatrice was donated to the veterinary college by Willaval Dairy. Her escapes from her home barn and pasture at the college were often ended when faculty exploited her fondness for grain to lure her back.
"She loved her food," Snyder said.
There has been some talk of getting another fistulated cow for the college, but Beatrice, who made popular appearances at OSU's Pet Day and Adventures in Learning classes, will never be replaced.
"She was a lot of fun," Snyder said.
OSU faculty, staff and students are donating money toward a small memorial for Beatrice - a paver stone that will be placed in front of the college.
"We'll miss her in both a personal and educational sense," Snyder said, "but we hope she's in cow heaven, where the grain never runs out and there's always someone to scratch her chin."
A "fistulated" cow that played an important role in research at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University died last week.
"Beatrice" was about 21 years old and had been at the college since at least 1993.
Her abdomen was fitted with a small plastic device call a "cannula," through which researchers and students could directly observe the digestive process.
"It's like a rubber stopper," explained Betsy Snyder, a technician with the large-animal program at OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. After a hole was cut in Beatrice's side, a donut-shaped implement was fitted to the incision. The "hole" of the piece was removable and allowed researchers and students to actually reach inside the cow.
The Jersey cow was the college's resident donor of rumen fluid to cows and camelids at the Lois Bates Acheson Teaching Hospital. Rumen fluid contains numerous bacteria that aid in digestion and promote the absorption of nutrients into an animal. The fluid could be "harvested" from Beatrice via the cannula.
Several of the hospital's clients also purchased this "liquid gold" to help their animals at home, Snyder said.
"If you've got an animal at home that's not eating, or it's been off food and you need to kind of jump start their intestinal tract ... you can introduce the rumen fluid from another animal and it'll jump-start their system."
Snyder wasn't sure exactly what Beatrice's cause of death was, but she said 21 years was "ancient" for a cow. The bovine also had bad arthritis in her joints and had been having difficulty moving around.
But she used to be quite spry.
"‘B-Cow,' as she was known, had quite a personality in her younger days," Snyder said. "She even made it into a couple of faculty offices on occasion, put in an appearance or two at holiday parties, and there wasn't a gate on the grounds she couldn't open if it wasn't safely secured."
Beatrice was donated to the veterinary college by Willaval Dairy. Her escapes from her home barn and pasture at the college were often ended when faculty exploited her fondness for grain to lure her back.
"She loved her food," Snyder said.
There has been some talk of getting another fistulated cow for the college, but Beatrice, who made popular appearances at OSU's Pet Day and Adventures in Learning classes, will never be replaced.
"She was a lot of fun," Snyder said.
OSU faculty, staff and students are donating money toward a small memorial for Beatrice - a paver stone that will be placed in front of the college.
"We'll miss her in both a personal and educational sense," Snyder said, "but we hope she's in cow heaven, where the grain never runs out and there's always someone to scratch her chin."