It’s an experience that can stand up to any of UMD’s greatest traditions. And yet, any Terp can rub Testudo’s nose for good luck, enjoy the Maryland Dairy, or drop a turtle into the Omicron Delta Kappa fountain on McKeldin Mall. Only a select few students are able to tackle the challenge of ANSC 245 or Sheep Management, popularly known as “Lamb Watch,” and say they accomplished the feat of helping bring a life into this world.
The course, which began in the late ’90s as a way for students to get hands-on experience with sheep at the Campus Farm, continues to provide Animal Science students the opportunity to learn the critical foundation of farm and livestock management.
Despite the obstacles presented this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the physically demanding but rewarding farm work and long hours, students were still thrilled with the overall experience.
“This class was important to me figuring out which career path I want to take,” said student Eliza White ’23 (Animal Science, Pre-Vet Track). “It’s also important for people to know where their food comes from and what goes into that, so we spent a lot of time discussing the supply chain. Especially with carbon emissions now, it's very important to know what we are consuming and that it's being done ethically.”
Student responsibilities at the farm include essential duties like cleaning, feeding the ewes, making sure they have enough water, and monitoring them for any potential signs of birthing. These tasks could involve students being at the farm late into the night and early into the morning. Students are paired together with partners to care for a specific ewe, and, since births can occur at any time, they are on call for the big moment. Once the lambs are born, students perform health checks every day for the first week, check their respiratory and heart rates, take their temperature, and weigh them, plus much more.
“We continue our general farm responsibilities, but we are now also trimming hooves, giving vaccines, and doing ear tags,” said White. “We’re also weighing the flock, which is very difficult because you have to push sheep that are close to two hundred pounds onto the scale one at a time.”
Helping them along the way are principal lecturer Dr. Sarah Balcom, who handles the classroom aspect, and Campus Farm manager Crystal Caldwell, who supervises the watches and shepherding.
“We’re trying to teach students about the farm and give them the confidence to feel like they could start a backyard flock,” said Balcom, who has taught the class since 2010. “We also want to engage our community in the whole process from farm to table, which means raising the animals, but also means sending them to slaughter. It’s so incredible to see these students go from being really inexperienced to ultimately getting more into agriculture."
To ensure that students have a proper gauge on how they are progressing with their farm and sheep management abilities, they're evaluated by a professional skills checklist that comes from University of Maine Extension. Students evaluate themselves against the list and get feedback from Balcom so they can see how well they’d fare with their own flock.
“Seeing things in pictures or videos is nowhere near what it's like actually experiencing it in person,” said Caldwell. “Many of our students want to go to vet school or work with animals, and that can be physically intense. Getting to know how much of an impact these various activities can have on your body prepares them for the life choices they are about to make.”
Students are not only challenged physically on the farm, but also intellectually in the classroom. They learn about different breeds of sheep and how they can be raised for varying purposes such as wool, dairy, and meat, as well devising preventive health plans, breeding, nutrition, regulations, pasture management, and many other topics. This component is important for giving students the most well-rounded experience possible.
“It’s been the best class ever,” said Shannen Auffarth ’22 (Animal Science, Pre-Vet Track).
“Before I was even a freshman here, I told myself I would do whatever I can to take this class. To be trusted to do work on the farm on our own, it’s unbeatable. The instructors go above and beyond, and it's clear they really care about us as students and our career goals.”
By Andrew Muir