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Vandal Shots Week 3: It’s All About The Cows

Editor’s note: Krieg Shaw will be taking us behind the scenes of University of Idaho men’s lacrosse throughout the 2009-2010 season. The Idaho Vandals are an MCLA D1 team, competing in the Pacific Northwest Conference. Shaw, a senior midfielder, will be contributing photos on a weekly basis. If you missed them, here’s Week 1 and Week 2.
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First week off from fall ball, some time to recover, take a little time off and really enjoy the fall.

When I went to get pictures of the cow, I noticed I still had a picture from Gem State on my camera. When we stopped in McCall on the way down to have some Subway, I convinced our Coach to take a picture of a very prepared Idahoan, while making it look like it was of me. Let’s just say, I wasn’t the most inconspicuous person.

MCLA_Idaho_Week3-1If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, follow my thumb up behind the tire, and yes, there is also a man in the car.

But back to the cows.

I was able to get my interview and pictures with Dr. Hunt from the Department of Animal and Veterinary Science about the Cannulated Cows. Dr. Hunt has worked here at the U of I for 25 years now and took some time out of his day to answer a few of my questions about the cows and then take me for a little drive to see them.

Basically, the cow’s stomach is split into four compartments, the rumen, reticulum, omasum and the abomasums. The rumen is the largest part of the stomach is full of microbials that help to digest different foods. Because cows are ruminant creatures, they repeatedly regurgitate and rechew food throughout the day. The rumen is the where cannula is placed. The purpose of the cannula is to be able to study the digestive system of cow and see what feeds digest better. The cannula is surgically put in and has no mal-effects on the cow itself, actually the cannula is sutured to the cow’s hide and becomes more or less a part of the cow.

MCLA_Idaho_Week3-2Here is one of the cows, the tags around the cannula are the equivalent of a flea collar for dogs, helping to keep the flies off the cow.

With fall ball over, I have to wait another week or so until we start up our indoor league in the Rec’s indoor hockey arena. Until then though, I’m left to wander the streets of Moscow and find a little mischief.

The other night, after a little studying, a lady friend and I took a stroll around campus, here are a couple snapshots from my phone.

MCLA_Idaho_Week3-3A little dark, but that’s one of two Idaho water towers. I’ve heard people happen to meander up these from time to time.


MCLA_Idaho_Week3-4Here’s a shot of our old Memorial Gym with the one and only Kibbie Dome in the background.


MCLA_Idaho_Week3-5Went for a drive the other day, here’s a view from the Old Pullman Highway, if you look closely you can see the water tower from the picture above.


We actually have a gorgeous campus, other than academics and lacrosse, the scenery was definitely one of the reasons I ended up transferring to Moscow. Our campus is very scenic, as hopefully you will discover, pretty much year round.

Lastly, I took a little vacation to the coast with my family. It is a little place called Kalaloch that we have been going to since the 40’s or 50’s. But here is a picture from that too.

MCLA_Idaho_Week3-6The ocean is the best therapy ever.