During the campus wide open house, Fertis, the veterinary college's fistulated steer, starred as the main attraction of the "Roaming in the Rumen" demonstration. The exhibit was presented by the student chapter of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. Fertis features a fistula, or hole, that allows for access to his rumen, or the first digestive chamber of the bovine stomach.
"We allow people to go look inside the rumen to see how the food and nutrients are being digested," said Miles Theurer, bovine club president. "It also allows people to see how that animal is able to convert all the grass and hay into the high quality product we all consume each and every day."
Having the fistula allows Fertis to fulfill several important duties for the college. He provides an educational opportunity for veterinary students to learn about the ability of the cattle to digest forages and teach students about digestive health in cattle.
To read more of the May 2012 issue of Lifelines, go to http://www.vet.k-state.edu/depts/development/lifelines/1205.htm
