COW RESTRAINT PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE A DAY TO REMEMBER

Good day Hive family, especially my Hive Naija brothers and sisters.

Today was one of those unforgettable days in my department particularly for us, the 400-level vet students. So far, our journey in this profession has mostly been filled with downloading theories into our headspage after page, course after coursebut today was different. Today, it got real...

Let me give you a little background on how the veterinary medicine program is structured in our part of the world:

1. Preclinical Phase:200L to 300L First Semester

2. Paraclinical Phase: 300L Second Semester to 400L Second Semester

3. Clinical Phase:500L to 600L (final year)

You might be wondering, "Where's 100 Level?" Well, 100L doesn’t count here in vet school it’s just our general science foundation. Vet proper begins at 200L. And with each phase comes a tough professional exam to move forward.

Now, all of that is to say we’ve come a long way in this profession, yet nothing prepared us for today’s experience. It was both fun and eye-opening, a true take-home lesson for everyone involved.

The Real-Life Restraint Experience

My pictures with my colleagues

We’ve spent countless hours learning about animal restraint techniques—from dogs to pigs, horses to goats, and even wild animals. But today, for the first time, we got to step out of the classroom and put our theoretical knowledge into action.

As we gathered for the practical, we expected to jump straight into restraining cattle. But to our surprise, our lecturer began with a brief talk. And what a talk it was.

“Please and please,” she said, “there are no heroes in this profession.”

That statement got our full attention. When I asked for clarification, she explained: No matter how strong you think you are, there’s no competing with the strength of large or wild animals. In vet medicine, knowledge and smartness always outweigh brute strength.

She emphasized that, technically, it’s not our job as vets to restrain animals—that responsibility falls to the handlers or owners. However, as future veterinary doctors, we must know how to do it, in case we ever have to step in.

LEADERSHIP STARTS FROM SERVANTHOOD, she said,That message hit differently it was more than a lecture; it was life wisdom.

She ended with a funny but deep quote:

IT'S ’s BETTER TO BE CALLED A FEARFUL VET THAN TO BE CALLED A ONE-EYED VET.

That cracked us all up, but it stayed with us.

The Practical Setup

Today’s practical focused on restraining large ruminants cattle specifically. Three students volunteered to carry out the procedure based on what we learned in theory. Here's a quick breakdown of their roles:

Personnel Roles in Cow Restraint:

1. Person 1 – Head Controller (Front):

• Stands on the left side of the cow’s head.

• Uses a halter or rope to control head movement.

• May hold the horns or use a nose tong for better control.

1. Person 2 – Side Holder (Middle):

• Stands at the shoulder/flank area.

• Keeps the cow balanced and prevents side movements.

1. Person 3 – Hindlimb Controller (Back):

• Stands beside not behind the hindquarters.

• Lifts the tail to reduce kicking reflex and monitors leg movement.

SAFETY TIPS WE LEARNED:

• Always approach calmly from the side, never from the front or rear.

• Avoid wearing red clothing near cattle they associate red with blood and danger (a natural predator instinct).

The Unexpected Twist

Despite the advice to let the handler confine the cow in a tight pen first, the three students insisted on doing it raw. What happened next stunned everyone.

One of my classmates was literally kicked like a football! The cow lashed out and nearly injured the team, but thank God the handler quickly intervened. It could’ve ended badly. Thankfully, they sustained only minor injuries and we all managed to laugh about it afterwards.

Eventually, we all got the chance to restrain the cow safely, with the animal confined properly. It was a successful and memorable practical one for the books.

In Conclusion

Today was more than a practical it was a life lesson. We learned that in this profession, smartness beats strength, humility trumps pride, and real experience speaks louder than theory.

Thank you for stopping by to read my blog. If you’ve ever had a wild practical day in your field or profession, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

All photos used were taken by me and my classmates.

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