Animal Science Students Visit Oak Creek Lab

On November 14, 2020, Students of Belle High School in the Dual Credit Animal Science Class visited Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch in conjunction with their curriculum. For the past couple of weeks, they have been studying Reproductive Physiology in all livestock types, including deer. Donald Hill, Owner of Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch, allowed us to get hands-on experience in the latest reproductive technology. The members of class assisted veterinarians in the process of arthroscopically artificially inseminating does. In this experience, each student encountered each step of preparing the does for pre and post-op procedures.

The first step to prepare the does for insemination is to sedate the does.

After sedation, they are transported to a “dark-room” to allow them to fall asleep. Once asleep, they are moved to a gurney.

Once on the gurney, they are wheeled to an alleyway where a catheter is inserted, and they are shaved in preparation for the insertion of the probes.

After they are inseminated, they are moved to the last station, stapled shut, and given antibiotics to fight against possible infections. Then they are moved back to the field, where they are woken back up with the reversal of sedation. After they are shaved, they are sterilized with alcohol and iodine. Once complete with sterilization, they are moved to be inseminated with sexed semen.

The lab that students were able to attend was an experience of a lifetime. The students will forever look back on them and were very thankful for this once in a lifetime opportunity.