NEWS IN DETAIL...
Students engrossed at Game Bird Health and Welfare Day
Students from Duchy College Stoke Climsland have had the chance to attend a game bird health and welfare training day.
The students studying Gamekeeping attended the game bird health and welfare training day which was organised by Duchy College's Rural Business School and the South West Layers and Game Bird Initiative. The event was held at Duchy College Stoke Climsland and delivered by Poultry Vet Stuart Young BSc (Hons) BVetMed MRCVS.
Stuart gave the students a presentation on the health and welfare of the game bird then they were each able to carry out a post-mortem on a pheasant and identify the bird's organs and signs of coccidiosis under a microscope.
There are about 3000 full time gamekeepers in the UK and a similar number who do the job part time. Game keeping is as much about conservation as it is about the final product, because gamekeepers need to look after the woods and hedges which provide habitats for game, be this wild or reared.
Course Manager, Pete Walters said: "It was a fantastic opportunity for the students to get a better understanding of the welfare of the game bird and how industry must be aware of the legislation. The students not only got to have some hands-on experience of carrying out a post-mortem on a pheasant but they were able to apply what they have already learnt on their course, and gain an insight into some basic diseases and common problems encountered and their prevention. The students had a great time and were engrossed in Stuart's presentation. They are already using their new found knowledge in our day to day activities."
Head of Duchy College Andrew Counsell said: "We are proud to be able to offer our students numerous extracurricular activities in addition to their main qualification. This gives them the ability to use what they have learnt and put it into practice, and also build on their current level of knowledge. This event was a great success and the students thoroughly enjoyed it. At Duchy College we actively encourage students to fully immerse themselves into college life and all that it has to offer."
For more information on Countryside and Gamekeeping courses at Duchy College call us on 0845 605 0455 or visit www.duchy.ac.uk.
