Recently, around 15 Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine (OSU-CVM) third-year students and faculty members went on a two-day adventure for an unfiltered look at the pigs to pork pipeline with an emphasis on animal health. The Oklahoma Pork Council proudly tagged along to connect with these future veterinary leaders and several of our friends at Seaboard Foods

Thanks to thoughtful planning from Seaboard leadership including Dr. Brooke Kitting and Noel Williams, the OSU crew not only got an eye-opening on-farm experience at a Seaboard finishing farm in Perryton, Texas, but they were also able to participate in a learning session about Seaboard Foods, a series of case study scenarios related to animal health, and a hands-on activity that made classroom learning a memorable reality. In a picture-perfect example of allied industry support, animal health experts from the Pig Improvement Company (P.I.C.) and Boehringer Ingelheim (B.I.) also added to the students' experience.

From showering into the farm to seeing modern barn technology and much more - the comprehensive tour proved incredibly interesting and educational. Many of these students had never seen any large scale agricultural operations, especially focused on swine. Taking the experience to a new level since these students obviously have a keen interest in animal health, Dr. Kitting led participants through a memorable series of necropsies to test and expand their diagnostic knowledge.

It was clear to Kylee Deniz and Shay Stegmann that these students will forever have a deeper understanding of how pork is produced and a greater appreciation for the hard-working people who make it possible. We also believe this exposure undoubtedly makes veterinary careers within pork production part of the consideration set when these young people finish their education. A huge thanks to Seaboard Foods production and animal health experts who made this tour possible.