#Myfarmstory by Oluwalogbon.
My journey as an agriculturist began during my secondary school years. My deep affection for animals initially led me to aspire to become a veterinary doctor.”Well. I took my first UTME and picked UI (University of Ibadan). Unfortunately, I didn’t reach the cutoff mark. I attempted it again for the second and third time, but the outcome was the same.
On the third trial, after I didn’t meet the cutoff. I felt disheartened. But, I decided to visit the admission office and inquire if they could offer me Animal Science to transfer to Veterinary Medicine at the 200 level. However, the admission officer informed me that the department was already full and could only offer me Zoology.
This information made me unhappy, and I couldn’t hold back my tears. As I was leaving the admission office, someone approached me and asked what had happened. I explained the situation to him, and he mentioned that LAUTECH had released its post-UTME forms, and he suggested I consider it. I inquired if LAUTECH had a Veterinary Medicine program, to which he replied no. So, I asked him to show me the school’s course curriculum and found a similar program called Animal Production and Health, which I decided to pursue instead.
Fortunately, I took LAUTECH Post UTME two days later and received admission to study Animal Production and Health. I was thrilled, hoping to pursue Veterinary Medicine for my master’s degree, but I couldn’t because the two courses are different. In the first three years (100 level, 200 level, and 300 level), we focused on the theoretical aspects of animal production, while the practical internship at the 400 level allowed me to apply what I had learned.
My first week on the farm was very demanding, and I nearly fell ill. During the third week, we were divided into different units, giving us exposure to both crop and animal aspects. The most captivating unit for me was the poultry and feed mill. I learned a great deal, especially about the brooding stage. I genuinely love my course, and I believe that agricultural science forms the foundation of all professions.
I acquired knowledge about brooding practices in a warm and arid climate. How can we effectively raise poultry in such conditions to boost farm production, and what challenges do poultry farming face in this type of climate?
I believe that agricultural science serves as the cornerstone for all departments. As a student specializing in animal production and health, we have a professional exam called the Graduate Animal Scientist (GAS) that we must pass to establish ourselves in this field. To my fellow aspiring animal scientists, I recommend focusing on the hands-on aspects of the discipline and collaborating closely with industry experts to acquire valuable experience.
This story has been published on PROUDLY LADOKITE with very minimal editing to preserve the original voice of the author.
