Prompt #9 Recognizing Significance in Animal Science

       While searching for a news story for this prompt, I wasn't seeming to have much luck. I looked for a pretty decent amount of time, until I came across an article about 60,000 antelopes were all killed in a matter of 4 days. I was intrigued, and I knew that it would be able to show the importance of animal science and those working in the field.

       This particular incident with the antelopes took place in Kazakhstan, and a geoecologist and his colleagues were the ones who went to Asia to try to figure out this unusual phenomenon. They came to the conclusion that more than half of the herd died; and it happened very rapidly. From the research of geoecologists, veterinarians, and many others with further knowledge on animals came to the conclusion that one of the biggest roles in the death of so many antelopes was bacteria. According to those who researched this odd phenomenon, something like this hasn't been observed for any other species. It was observed that the females were the ones to pass the quickest, with their calves being next. With that information, is has been thought that whatever was killing the antelopes was being transmitted through the mothers' milk.

       Obviously, according to this article, without those who went to Asia, we wouldn't know anything about what killed the antelopes. It isn't positive what exactly was the cause, but those who researched it have a pretty good idea of what happened. In the field of animal science, there are a lot of career options, like I have stated in previous blog posts. In a situation like this one in Asia, someone who studied animal science would be the perfect person to go there and try to figure out what went wrong. Without animal scientists, situations like that would be unsolved and animals would be dying out a lot faster than they already are. We need people in the world to be able to deal with situations such as this one.

- Jamie R.

Source:

Ghose, Tia. "What Killed 60,000 Antelope in 4 Days? : DNews." DNews. Discovery Communications, 4 Sept. 2015. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.                         

Prompt 8

For my major you have the ability to do field research. What happens when something goes wrong while you are in the field? You could be stuck in the woods for a night or two and if you do not have basic survival skills such as shelter making and fire building you could freeze to death. This blog post is going to show pictures of my first attempt at building a shelter and fire building.

To start the shelter my team and I decided that we were going to build a raised platform. We took three logs and made a triangle base and then took 6 inch diameter longs and stacked them on the base making a platform. Next we took a thick branch that was forked at the end (looked like a Y) and wedged it at a base of one tree and on the trunk of another. This was support to the shelter. In the picture above you can see that we used thicker branches and leaned them on the support branch. Next we took smaller sticks and weaved them in and out for siding.

Lastly we put long grass on the side to keep it insulated.


My group thought this was going to be the best shelter out of the entire class. However when we were finished Dr. Hayes had a handout about the shelter you should build. The shelter we build was an A frame which is what you want to build. However there was to much space in between the roof and the ground which causes heat to escape. Also on the outside you want to use about 2-3 feet of leaves to cover your shelter. This will help trap heat in and it will make the shelter water proof.

Fire building is a skill that will keep you alive in a survival situation. It will keep you warm and you can cook and boil bad water. We built this fire using pine needles and grass. We didn't have matches or a lighter, instead we used flint. I will not lie we didn't succeed our first try. It took a long time to get it started but we succeeded. A suggestion that I have to people who are going out into the woods or camping. Keep a bag of cotton balls with vasoline on them. They ignite quickly and will help start your fire.

The point of this blog is to show how a hands on activity was different than learning from a book. A book can give you instructions or suggestions on how to do something. However in a life or death situation you do not know if you can do these things if you have never tried or practiced. In my field we work in nature so my Professor wanted us to have the basic skills so we wouldn't potentially die if we were stuck over night. This revealed that my field is more dangerous than previously thought. I should take extra survival classes to prepare for it.

Jake B

Importance of Animal Science

       When one thinks about the field of animal science, the first thing that most likely pops into their minds is veterinarian. I know this from personal experience. Whenever others ask me what my major is, and I respond with "animal science", they typically ask me if I'm trying to become a vet. I have to explain to them that I want to end up working at a zoo, and that my intended future career is not a veterinarian.

       Even though a veterinarian is a possible career with animal science, there are many other career options that are just as important to the world as a vet is. Veterinary science is very necessary in the world. Without it, pet owners would be losing pets without even giving them a fighting chance at life. But one reason why animal scientists are so important to the world is because they are the ones who produce the meat that everyone eats. According to animalsmart.org, "animal scientists work with farmers to improve animal breeding, diseases and nutrition . When animals grow well and stay healthy, farmers can produce more meat, milk or eggs for our consumption. Animal scientists also work with farmers to decrease the environmental impact of animal agriculture" (Animal Smart, "Why is Animal Science Important?).

There are many other reasons why animal science is important to the world including:

• Advances in food safety
• Keeping us clothed with animal fabrics such as wool
• Animal scientists learn about draft animals for labor
• Protecting human health by studying diseases
• Keeping out pets healthy (veterinarians)
• Helping to preserve exotic wildlife

Source:

"Why Is Animal Science Important?" Animal Smart. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

Impact of Agricultural Engineering

By: Tyler Lahusky

"There are many jobs you can do with your degree, like feeding the world" - John Deere Company

Agricultural engineering is unlike many other careers or degrees that someone can obtain. It is not something that can be thought of as a "take it or leave it" career. Instead, agricultural engineering is a necessary career in a growing world with many growing issues. As the world population rises, problems present themselves in the form of food shortages, water shortages, health issues and a growing energy crisis. Agricultural engineers are a select group of people that set out to battle these issues and keep the world turning, improving life for everyone throughout the world. ("History | BAE")

The Mission - To improve the quality of life by integrating and applying principals of engineering and biology to systems involving food, environment, energy and health. - Michigan State University ("History | BAE")

Working in these areas, agricultural engineers work to improve food quality and bio-security. This is done in a number of different ways, but all with the same impact in mind - creating a safer food industry in the world. This is just one of the ways that agricultural engineering affects each and every one of us in our everyday lives. Along with food safety, a growing population has created a massive energy crisis. In order to combat this energy crisis, it is agricultural engineers that work to create innovative biological solutions to new energy sources. New biological energy sources has a lasting impact on the environment as we can discontinue our use of non-renewable energy sources, as well as a lasting impact on everyone's wallet. ("History | BAE")

When people think of agriculture, they think of farming. This is another major task that agricultural engineers undertake in their quest to improve the world. Farming techniques are constantly in need of improvement to save money and increase yield to supply a growing population. In order to do this, new processes and machinery must be invented to get the job done. Agricultural engineers design these processes and machines to make life easier for today's farmers and bring greater amounts of fresh food to more tables throughout the world. ("What does an Agricultural Engineer do?")

If you read my post about biotechnology, you may already have an idea of what it is and the impact it may have. Biotechnology is the genetic modification of organisms to create a better product as the result. The impact of biotechnology through the work of agricultural engineers is highly significant. Implementation of biotechnology has the power to alter the course of world hunger and malnutrition. People who live in climates were it is difficult to grow certain foods would be able to grow new plants through genetic engineering, allowing access to nutrients they never had access to before. Biotechnology also allows agricultural engineers to create things like a new way to vaccinate for disease. For example, in order to vaccinate for a specific disease, agricultural engineers genetically modify a fruit to grow that vaccine. Therefore, all one has to do is eat the fruit to become vaccinated. (Frompovicz)

Clearly the work of agricultural engineers is not anything close to mediocre, but is a career that has a lasting impact and can ultimately change the world. For more insight as to what an agricultural engineer does and the impact they have, watch the video below from Michigan State University on Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering.

Source: http://www.egr.msu.edu/bae/news/biosystems-engineering-meeting-needs-humankind-sustainably

Sources:

 "History | BAE." History | BAE. Michigan State University, 2011. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

"What Does an Agricultural Engineer Do?" NCSU Biological Agricultural Engineering. North Carolina State University, 7 Apr. 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015. 

Frompovicz, H. (2006). A Growing Controversy: Genetic Engineering in Agriculture. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1081&context=elj&sei-redir=1&referer=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=controversy%20in%20agricultural%20engineering&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFj

Controversy in Agricultural Engineering: Biotechnology (Prompt 7)

By: Tyler Lahusky

Every field, no matter what it may be, contains a subject or argument that poses some controversy within the field. Many times these can be little things that come up as research is conducted, but other times they are major innovations that could have a lasting impact. The most common controversial topic in agricultural engineering is biotechnology. Many people may know biotechnology as genetic engineering, or genetically modified organisms (GMO's) that they may or may not find at the store. It is clear what biotechnology is and what it does, but there are two main arguments within the agricultural engineering world and in the public eye about biotechnology - do the benefits outweigh the risks, or do the risks outweigh the benefits? (Frompovicz)

History

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the risks and benefits for yourselves, you must understand the history of biotechnology and what it is at the present time. Biotechnology was first invented back in the 1500's. Different that what is expected to be considered biotechnology and genetic engineering today, cross-breeding plants and animals was the first version of biotechnology. Cross breeding, or selective breeding, is the selection of 2 organisms of the same species and breeding them to produce an offspring that contains both of the desired traits from the 2 parent organisms. To this day, almost all major crops that we know have been selectively bred to the state that they are now. (Frompovicz)

Present Day

In modern times, biotechnology has evolved to something quite different than what was used in the 1500's and the 1800's. Although the main idea is much of the same, the process is very different. Today, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is taken from an organism with a desired trait and inserted into the DNA of another, completely different, organism. This allows scientists today to take DNA from many different organisms and stack desired traits and characteristics into one single organism, such as corn for example. The goal of biotechnology is to create an overall better product in a number of different aspects. It is estimated that about 70% of food on the shelf at the grocery store today has genetically modified organisms contained in it. (Frompovicz) So why all the controversy? To answer that, we must know the benefits, and the risks alike.

Source: http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/infogram-particles-700/blankenshipnp1361301304.jpg

The Benefits

There are endless possibilities for benefits in biotechnology with the number of different traits you can mix in organisms. Highlighted here are just some of the main benefits scientists are working on and are within the grasp of genetic engineering today. Already in place all over the world, biotechnology has created crops that are resistant to pesticides and herbicides. This allows for cheaper products used on fields for weed control and higher yield with less irrigation, as all the water goes directly to the crops and not the weeds. Many foods can be engineered to have increased nutritional value and grow vitamins and nutrients that they never before have grown. Yes, this means you get a better 'bang for your buck' when you eat a GMO banana and can pass up on the orange. Not to mention, when you buy that banana, biotechnology can increase the shelf life of the food you buy. Just these few, simple things biotechnology can do may go a long way. With increased shelf life and an increase in nutritional value, biotechnology can be put on the front line for fighting world hunger and malnutrition. (Frompovicz) So what are we waiting for?

The Risks

So what are the risks to all this agricultural engineers ask? There's one problem - we don't know. Currently, there is no direct evidence of GMO's being harmful to humans or the environment. However, as a fairly new technology, the public remains very weary of it which holds back many agricultural engineers and researchers. Most of the GMO's today are used as a food source for animals or in processed food for people. But the thing is, the long term effects of using biotechnology are simply unknown. Many scientists and agricultural engineers are concerned about the effects it may have on the environment. It may be possible for a genetically modified organism to transfer its traits (through pollination or breeding) to a wild organism and spreading it throughout the environment. The effects on the wild plant that obtained the genetically modified trait would be unknown. These effects could range from harmless, to catastrophic to the environment and ecosystem, throwing everything out of balance. (Frompovicz)

You Decide

Now that you know what biotechnology is and the risks and benefits behind it, it's your turn to decide. This is a very familiar issue to agricultural engineers all over the globe. Everyone must wrestle with controversial issues such as these in order to improve the world and keep it safe. So what do you think? Place yourself into the shoes of an agricultural engineer and comment below on your stance on biotechnology.

Source: Frompovicz, H. (2006). A Growing Controversy: Genetic Engineering in Agriculture. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1081&context=elj&sei-redir=1&referer=http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=controversy%20in%20agricultural%20engineering&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFj

Why Should You Care?

It is a simple question and it can rock an arguments foundation to the core. Why should I/You care?

"Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish caught will we realise we cannot eat money"

This is such a powerful quote from the Cree Indians. It is a straight forward quote but the meaning is still incredibly and sadly relevant today. As industry continues to grow more ecological problems arise. Rain forest are being cut down to make more room for fields that can grow cash crops. In the United States forest are cut for paper and for building houses. When you build a house you have to clear land for lumber and so you can develop the area. When you clear an area of trees or if you clear an area of anything that is key to survival for animals, the populations there will be drastically effected. If a prairie is destroyed so you can build you are destroying a dwindling biome which are incredibly hard to restore.

The fishing and the poison can be roughly put into the same group. People dump so much waste into water sources and it isn't funny. I pulled a t.v out of the Red Cedar behind the Library for one of my labs. What is the point of dumping in the river when you can find better ways to take care of garbage?
Over fishing is a major problem as well. In order to keep up on the growing demands for more food sources commercial fishing boats have to pull more and more fish out of the water. Eventually enough will be enough and there will be nothing left. You can't eat money and we need to do something to slow down and invest in our environment.


The second quote won't be explained as much because I want you to reflect and see how you feel about it. Your parents brought you into this world so you could do your part to try and change it for the better. We want our children to live a better life than we have lived. How can we do this if we leave the world a giant mess? This is why I care. I want my future children to enjoy nature, this could be reading under a tree in the back yard or hiking through Yellowstone.

You should care because without nature we have nothing, it is as simple as that and you can't argue it. Well you can but I will refuse to respond to you. Without nature we wouldn't have the nutrients we need to live and that is a pretty important thing.

So next time you are standing next to a recycling bin with your Mountain Dew and you throw it into the trash or if you just toss something on the side of the road think about what that will do to the world. It could hurt an animal and recycling doesn't take that long to do anyways.

If that hasn't opened your eyes think about are squirrels. Here at MSU we love our squirrels. We wouldn't do anything to purposely hurt them. Throw out your garbage and recycle.

Go Green
Jake B.

Research in Animal Science

       In the field of animal science, research can be done in many different ways. According to the Michigan State University website, many different animals are used such as farm animals, companion animals, and even more. There are animal handling facilities located on and near campus, and this is how it typically is on most college campuses. Most research that is done in this field is focused on "key areas of animal agriculture that are of priority to producers, sustainable agriculture and basic biology, some of which interface with areas of biomedical and environmental relevance. These include Animal Breeding, Statistical Genetics and Molecular Genetics, Animal Health, Animal Production Systems and Management, Behavior and Welfare, Exercise Physiology, Functional Genomics and Bioinfomatics, Growth Biology and Meat Science, Lactation Biology, Non-ruminant Nutrition, Nutritional and Digestive Physiology, Microbiology, Reproduction and Endocrinology, Ruminant Nutrition, Skeletal Physiology, Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, and Toxicology" (MSU, Research). When it comes to research, one can be in a laboratory, or could choose to research out in the field physically with animals. There are many options for research in almost every field out there.

 - Jamie R.

 Source:
"Department of Animal Science." Research. Michigan State University, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2015.