Pickett HS Students Get Hands-On Learning Through Cow/Calf Simulator

Pickett County High School students will benefit through a new a live cow and calf simulator.

CTE Instructor Tracy Smith said students often encounter a lot of birthing difficulties with cows, which is a prominent cause for livestock loss. She said the newly-developed simulator gives students hands-on learning on how to help heffers deliver calves.

“I love this because I can see how this will impact my students financially,” Smith said. “It’ll impact their confidence as they go off onto their own farms.”

Smith said can manipulate the simulator into different birthing situations, such as changing the direction of the calf. She said this way students are also able to become familiar with extraction equipment should a more difficult situation arise.

The simulator purchase was made possible through a $102,000 SPARC grant. SPARC stands for Supporting Posecondary Access in Rural Counties.

Smith said the cow has already been implemented into the curriculum. She said her students have really enjoyed being able to practice in a controlled environment.