By Jeff Mulhollem and Chuck Gill, Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State is well known for its traditional excellence in dairy and animal science education, and some of that expertise will be exhibited at the Animal Sciences Facility at Ag Progress Days, Aug. 17-19.
Show attendees can hear brief presentations by faculty and staff on a wide range of timely topics, including food safety, antibiotics in food production, dietary fat in animal products, disease risks from your pet, animal welfare and fun facts about the dairy cow.
“Stop by for a quick visit, and leave with a better understanding of animal agriculture and your food supply,” said Ken Kephart, professor of animal science. “The presentations will be concise and thought provoking.”
The following presentations will take place at the Animal Sciences Facility:
- “Fat Content of Beef Before and After Cooking”: Key aspects of diet and health, including saturated fat, conjugated linoleic acid and Omega-3 fatty acids, will be emphasized, along with a comparison of the dietary benefits of grass-fed beef and grain-fed beef.
- “Antibiotics and Animal Agriculture: Blessing or Curse?”: Veterinarians will discuss the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, including the effects on both animal health and human health.
- “Food Safety in the Home”: Safe handling of meat and meat products will be covered by a food scientist, including proper preparation, cooking and storage. These are critical considerations for keeping your meat wholesome and your family healthy.
- “Healthy Pets, Healthy People”: A veterinarian will talk about ways to keep you and your pet healthy. Most pet owners do not realize that there are some illnesses that can be passed from pets to people, and from people to pets.
- “Animal Health and Welfare”: A livestock expert will review the health and welfare of farm animals raised in conventional versus organic/natural systems, as well as how we assess the well-being of animals.
- “Fun Facts About Your Milk Supply”: A dairy expert will share some fascinating tidbits about the dairy cow, the dairy farmer and milk products.
Presentation schedule:
Tuesday, Aug. 17
- 10 a.m. — Antibiotics and Animal Agriculture: Blessing or Curse?
- 11 a.m. — Food Safety in the Home
- 1:30 p.m. — Animal Health and Welfare in Organic Systems
- 2:30 p.m. — Healthy Pets, Healthy People
Wednesday, Aug. 18
- 10 a.m. — Fun Facts About Your Milk Supply
- 11a.m. — Healthy Pets, Healthy People
- 1:30 p.m. — Antibiotics and Animal Agriculture: Blessing or Curse?
- 2:30 p.m. — Fat Content of Beef Before and After Cooking
Thursday, Aug. 19
- 10 a.m. — Antibiotics and Animal Agriculture: Blessing or Curse?
- 11 a.m. — Fat Content of Beef Before and After Cooking
- 12:30 p.m. — Food Safety in the Home
Sponsored by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 17; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 18; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 19. Admission and parking are free.
For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days Web site online.
