Pig donated by local farmer giving opportunity for hands-on learning to agricultural science students at Montcalm Community College
Dolores the pig has become an important part of lessons at Montcalm Community College in a course about animal science. The pig and her litter of piglets are providing real life lessons in animal agriculture and will eventually provide pork for the food bank on campus.
Montcalm Community College recently received a donation from Sietsema Farms, a local pork producer, in the form of a bred sow named Dolores. Biology Professor Dr. Michelle Gibson uses the pigs in her Introduction to Animal Science class as a learning tool, teaching her students about various aspects of animal care. Students are also learning about the difference in animal care from pets to farm animals raised for food. In fact, Dolores will eventually provide pork to the food pantry on campus which provides food assistance to students at MCC.
As explained in a news release from MCC, Dolores was donated to the college in January and has been housed at Gibson's home barn, and in March the piglets were born. Sietsema Farms Swine Division Manager, Lee Carte, said "I think that they're doing a fine job with the sow and the piglets and I hope that they learn from the experience. We wanted to help the students understand how the sows farrow and go through the entire process of caring for the pigs, from birthing to weaning."
Students were able to witness the birth of the piglets and are helping with the care of the animals from feeding, to clipping needle teeth, to giving injections. As Gibson explained, "I think any time students do things hands-on, they learn it way better than just listening to a lecture or reading about it in a book. I mean there's no other way to explain castration without seeing it done or doing it."
MCC Agricultural Operations student, Margaret Haight, provided positive feedback about the experience. "I really enjoy this class. I would encourage anyone—whether they're in Agricultural Operations or any type of agricultural field at all—to take this class," Haight said. She added, "You experience puppies being born, but when it comes to farm animals it's a bit different because you know they're food."
When the piglets are weaned, Dolores will be processed and ground pork will provide food for The Food Source at MCC, a campus food pantry. Gibson is hopeful that when the piglets are around six months and reach processing weight, that one of them can be used to provide food at the Ag Program Orientation before the start of the fall 2021 semester.