Kalmbach Feeds, OH

Description of Elective Experience: 

Kalmbach is a feed and production operation with multiple species including commercial egg laying pullets, layers, sow and meat-type hogs. The student will have the opportunity to spend time with each of these live animal divisions production & technical staff, as well as the staff veterinarians, to develop a well-rounded understanding of each production system as well as the role of a veterinarian in this type of practice setting.

Institutional and Educational Resources - staffing, equipment, etc.: 

The veterinary services team at Kalmbach includes 2 staff veterinarians, as well as animal health specialist and poultry health specialist to help assist the veterinarians.  Additionally, Kalmbach as production focused teams including sow unit supervisors, finishing team supervisors and sow farm managers. The student will be a part of the veterinary services team during the course of the preceptorship, and allowed to interact/participate in activities relating to swine or poultry medicine. The student will be supervised by licensed veterinarians on staff. 

Student Responsibilities - what is expected of students in terms of hours, days of the week, shadowing or actual support?: 

- Farm visits with veterinary and/or service/field technicians

- Clinical Case Processing & Internal veterinary lab service activities (may consist of but will not be limited to): necropsy, microbiological sample collection/processing/evaluation, proper tissue collection for processing and further diagnostic testing (histopathology, molecular, etc.), parasite monitoring, serological testing/monitoring, pre-slaughter testing for AI surveillance, weekly surveillance testing (various sanitation & disease monitoring) and production of autogenous vaccines for use in commercial swine and poultry. 

- Understand the importance of biosecurity as it relates to preventing disease, and disease containment. Student will be involved in regular discussions related to any pertinent diseases that may or are presenting risk to the overall health of the animals. This will include disease mapping/tracking of diseases and review of any pertinent external threats & disease prep/response planning (HPAI, ASF, etc.). 

- Production focused visits to understand how swine and poultry health are integrally related to production management.

Supervisor: 
Jessica Higgins, DVM
Address: 
7148 State Highway 199
Upper Sandusky, OH 43040
United States
Is student housing available?: 
No
Hours of supervision by a licensed veterinarian per week: 
40 hours