Observing that it’s difficult to set up mock situations that include the calf birthing process, Agriculture Instructor Dr. Lori Nagel began searching for teaching simulators. She found the ideal fit from a Canadian company.

The cow-calf and horse models all came from Calgary-based Veterinary Simulator Industries that got its start in part through support from EFC. The company builds a variety of simulation tools that can help augment the use of live animals in teaching situations.

How do you imagine veterinary students learn to care for our animals? For decades, they’ve had to enter the industry with little hands-on experience—sometimes only provided with the use of cadavers or poor simulations. That’s not the case anymore, though, thanks to a Calgary company. Using their skills in fabrication, Russell Gray and Bryan Pfahl of Veterinary Simulator Industries team up with industry experts to design and manufacture to-scale animal models—capable of replicating small procedures to births to surgery, the VSI herd is spread throughout training schools around the world!

Check it out! Our equine model is now a model on the cover of a magazine!

Gift horse: The Equine Foundation of Canada’s gift of a simulated horse is helping WCVM veterinary students gain a better grasp of equine anatomy and prepare for live patients.

Here are a few articles from one of VSI’s customers in Germany – take a look!

The SCC Animal Science Department recently received a cow dystocia simulator for educational training for students in the Applied Animal Science Program. The life-sized model cow has a full-sized calf with a realistic feel that weighs 50 pounds and can be placed in normal and abnormal positions in the cow to practice in the delivery of the calf. A calf-pulling device also comes with the model for students to be able to practice using the equipment before experiencing it in the pasture.