"Cats in Clothes" by Heather Mattoon

By Madeline McCurry-Schmidt / ASAS Scientific Communications Associate

I’m a cat person. But is my cat “a member of my family?”

It took a conversion with a co-worker for me to realize exactly how common it is to anthropomorphize animals.

We were talking about how often we travel, and he mentioned that when he’s out of town, a relative comes by to “give the cat feed.”

The use of the word “feed” seemed weird in a conversation about pets. Sure, cows and pigs get “feed,” but cats get “food.” Right? Traditionally, we use the same term for human and pet “food.” Farm animals don’t qualify for that human term.

This separation between companion animals and farm animals is more than a difference in wording. Animal scientists have actually studied how anthropomorphizing companion animals affects animal care.

At the Joint Annual Meeting this July, one symposium is titled “Impact of Anthropomorphism on Companion and Captive Animal Husbandry.” The symposium include talks titled: “Capitalizing on human health trends to improve feline health and wellbeing” by M. R. Lappin from the Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins; and “Effect of anthropomorphism on companion and captive animal husbandry” from the T. M. Edling Petco Animal Supplies Inc., San Diego, CA.

I think this is a fascinating topic. Not only does anthropomorphizing affect how we view pets and zoo animals, we also see farm animals anthropomorphized in popular culture. Does this change how people view farm animal welfare?

Go to jtmtg.org to register for the Joint Annual Meeting and view other symposia in the the scientific program.

Cow/Calf Extension Field Specialist — South Dakota State University

Asst/Assoc Professor of Animal Science, Beef Cattle — Texas Tech University

Post-doctoral — Sao Paulo State University

By Mark A. Russell

I would like to alert all colleges and teachers of agriculture of an exciting and new Draft Horse Management Internship program offered by The Farm at Prophetstown in Battle Ground, Indiana. We have designed this program for anyone seeking extensive hands-on experience in one or more areas of the draft horse business. Because it was designed to supplement college level curriculum, it is best suited for upperclassmen or recent graduates. It is an excellent internship that applies the content that you are teaching in your program with the needed practical application and skill development to make your graduates prepared to contribute. There is no direct academic credit involved, but program and Purdue Animal Sciences Extension faculty provide an excellent educational and academic foundation for this paid internship.

Draft Horse Management Internship
There are three sessions:
*       Session I:  Spring-foaling/breeding (January 10-June 30 Deadline October 1
*       Session II: Summer-farming with Draft horses (April 10-September 30) Deadline January 1
*       Session III: Fall-shows/sales (July 10-October 31) Deadline April 1

Cost:
Application fee: $35
Initial Deposit: $465 due within 30 days of acceptance into the program (non-refundable)
Tuition: $1500 due at the end of the orientation week, for a Total: $2000

Students will be paid to work at least a 48 hour week for the duration of the internship session. On-site housing will be provided along with some provisions produced on the farm including meat, eggs, milk, and in-season produce. Showers, bathrooms, electricity and twin beds will be provided however, the student is responsible for providing any other furnishings they wish to have.

For more information visit www.prophetstown.org  or e-mail Lauren Eastman at livestockmgr@prophetstown.org

Chad Pilcher

Midwest Grad. Director Chad Pilcher writes:

“Our Graduate Student Director team has planned networking events at the Midwest ASAS/ADSA meetings, including a graduate student social at the 2012 meeting and a graduate student symposium at the 2011 meeting. Through this position, I have had the opportunity to interact with Midwest ASAS/ADSA adult board members as well as National and Sectional ASAS Graduate Student Directors. This position has helped me develop professional contacts and friendships with ASAS members throughout the Midwest section and the United States.”

Patrick Gunn

Midwest Grad. Director Patrick Gunn writes:

“For all you graduate students looking to improve the Midwestern sectional meetings for both you and fellow graduate students, I would strongly encourage you to apply for our graduate student director position opening. Serving as a graduate director for the Midwestern section has allowed me to interact with a multitude of industry and academia contacts, learn how ASAS operates, and most importantly, meet other students through development of social and professional programming at the Midwestern meetings for the benefit of all students in our section!  

“We are looking for creative and motivated individuals who want to assist in the growth and facilitation of graduate student programming at the MW meetings. Such programming allows for students to supplement their scientific development with the forging of new relationships amongst peers and career building opportunities. This year we added a social event to the meetings, and are looking to improve upon previously held lunch-and-learns and graduate student symposia and supplement graduate student activities at JAM.

“If you want to make a difference for and improve the opportunities for students at the MW meetings as well as yourself, please send in your application. Please check out earlier posts in the BULLetin or contact Chad Pilcher (pilcher@iastate.edu), Kaitlyn McClelland (kaitlyn.mcclelland@gmail.com), or Patrick Gunn (pgunn@purdue.edu) for more information.”

The Midwestern Section is accepting nominations for a Graduate Student Director position.  Nominations should include a letter of intent, not to exceed 500 words, describing why you would like to serve as a Midwestern Graduate Student Director and what goals you have to assist in the educational and professional development of fellow animal science students.   Nominations by the student applicant are acceptable and can be made under the “Member Services” tab on the ASAS website: http://www.asas.org/nomleadership.asp.    

Details concerning the position can be found below.   Please feel free to direct any additional questions to current Midwestern sectional directors Patrick Gunn (pgunn@purdue.edu), Chad Pilcher (pilcher@iastate.edu), or Kaitlyn McClelland (kaitlyn.mcclelland@gmail.com).

Deadline for nominations is 11:59 pm (CST) on May 18, 2012.

Responsibilities of Midwestern Section Graduate Directors

• Graduate Directors serve a two-year term; at any time, one director is in the 1st year of service and the other director is in the 2nd year of service.  These two Midwest Graduate Directors will work along-side a Graduate Director elected to the Midwest ASAS Board.
• Serve as a student perspective to the Midwest sectional board. Because graduate students make up a large proportion of membership to the society, student representation is key to providing programs that are of interest to today’s graduate student.
• Plan social events and professional development activities for students at the Midwest sectional meetings, including Lunch and Learn programs, graduate symposiums, and mixers.
• Work with the national Graduate Directors to implement programs at the national and sectional level.

Value of the Midwestern Section Graduate Director Experience

• Direct representation of graduate and post-doctoral students on sectional boards
• Develop networking contacts
• Learn how ASAS operates
• Excellent career-building experience