Sometimes you have to be mental to do this job

I love being a cattle veterinarian, I really do. But sometimes explaining some of what I do to non-agricultural people makes them wonder, "You like doing that?" Case in point, in order for me to diagnose a cow pregnant, I have to do a rectal exam. That involves sticking my hand and most of my arm up her rectum to feel her uterus to look for a baby. Invariably, I get some strange looks as people try to assess my mental status. I suppose when you take that procedure out of context, it does sound a little strange. In the end, I don't mind being a little mental (in a good way) to want to get up and do that on a daily basis. I tell you all this to get to the point of this blog post.

I get lots of correspondence from different companies about their products. They range from pharmaceuticals, feed additives, vaccines, etc. Sometimes companies send me actual samples of their products. One of the latest products I received almost made me giddy and thought it would be fun to share with Cow Art and More blog readers.

I got a armpit length glove sample from the Neogen Corporation. This just isn't any glove to use in rectal exams. This is a new to the market "PolyPetite" glove just for women. Woo-hoo! So just what makes this glove so special?

I will quote a few lines from their sales letter: "The sleeve was developed to fit the needs of the growing number of women involved in the veterinary care of large animals. The new sleeve is cut slimmer, especially through the wrist and hand area. Women shouldn't have to use sleeves designed for men, and give up the comfort and feel of a sleeve that fits."

Pretty cool! And it's "girly-girl" pink. The cows will love that.

Cow Art and More May newsletter

Check out the May edition of the Cow Art and More newsletter. In addition to finding out about new work, there is also a link to a Steak Diane recipe and advice on choosing the right size painting for a room.

Monday's agriculture website of interest: BEEF, IT'S WHAT'S FOR DINNER

In celebration of "May is Beef Month," I chose to link to the Beef, It's What's For Dinner website today. This site is funded with money from cattle producers nationwide to provide the public with information about beef and the cattle industry. The site explains how to shop for beef, including information on the different cuts available. The site also includes recipes on preparing beef, even for those on a special diet.

Monday's agriculture website of interest: CATTLE NETWORK

Monday's website of interest for agriculture folks is Cattle Network. This site discusses the latest in beef industry news and also has educational links. The part of this site I found useful was a listing on the right of the most popular current event news stories as they related to beef cattle production. There are also links to their op-ed pieces.