SIBI hosts Murdoch students for extramural farm experience
Six Murdoch university students recently joined our SIBI team at the department’s Katanning research station to gain valuable farm experience in stockwork and doing the lambing rounds.
Department Technical Officers Nicola Stanwyck and Tyler Loud hosted the vet and animal science students.
Nicola said “The students helped with lambing rounds for our Genetic Resource Flock, which involved catching, tagging and scoring every lamb, and monitoring ewes. Students were also able to assist with lambing difficulties and sheep treatments.
“We were lucky to be joined by two students for each week of July, who stayed at accommodation on site and were really in the thick of sheep work.
“This initiative was a tremendous success at a very busy but fulfilling time of the year; I hope it can happen again across different parts of the sheep calendar.”
The SIBI project recognises the value in supporting individuals to help solve industry relevant issues across the sheep supply chain through academic research, and expose and excite students to choose a career in the agrifood supply chain. SIBI is also offering a university scholarship program, more details of which will be in the next SIBI newsletter.
Murdoch’s extramural farm experience runs every year during the university holiday period, when vet and animal science students attend up to eight weeks at various farming enterprises, starting from the end of year one and must be complete by mid-year three of their courses.
The experience aims to provide students with an opportunity to develop the animal handling skills required to competently handle and examine a range of animals, but with a strong emphasis on livestock, the communication skills necessary to interact with the farming community, a practical understanding of livestock farming systems, an appreciation of the challenges faced by livestock producers and veterinarians servicing rural communities.