After lunch, I had the opportunity to accompany Dr. Kurtz to one of the other farms, where we were tasked with attending to a herd of cows that were between six months and a year old. These young cattle required a variety of important procedures, including receiving tattoos, brucellosis vaccinations, bute, and dewormer treatments. The tattooing process was particularly crucial, and my specific role involved cleaning the ears of the cows meticulously to prevent any risk of infection, as well as carefully removing old identification tags that had become outdated.
I must admit that I felt a bit nervous about this responsibility, as I worried that I might unintentionally hurt the cows by pulling too hard while removing the tags. However, I approached the task with care and diligence, knowing how important it was for the health of the animals. The vaccination tattoo was placed in the left middle part of each ear, while the breed tattoo was marked in the right top part. After the cows were successfully tattooed and re-tagged, they received a new, bright orange tag, which served as an important signal that they had been given their brucellosis vaccination.
Although I wasn't able to administer the vaccinations myself at either farm, I felt grateful for the chance to observe the process closely and assist in any way I could. It was a valuable learning experience for me, and I appreciated being involved in the care of these animals and contributing to their health and wellbeing.