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A group of senior agricultural science majors raised 60 chickens this semester. For their final event of their project students, faculty, staff and Kirksville citizens can come butcher their own chicken this Saturday.
This senior practicum class produces several group projects every year in which students design and complete a project.
Senior Claire Zimmermann, an agricultural science major, worked on this project all semester. She said that while there have been similar projects, their group is focusing on showing students where chickens come from, setting their project apart from the usual slaughter projects.
"They're in a big structure that's got a sheltered area and an open area so they're protected from weather and predators," Zimmermann said. "We move [the structure] every day so that they have fresh pasture."
Zimmermann said the chickens are pasteurized, because they have the opportunity to feed off the pasture. She said their diets are supplemented with chicken feed at night to ensure they stay at healthy weights.
"We really emphasize that students need to practice what we teach them," agricultural science professor Abdo Alghamdi said. "This is so they can understand the problems with the environment, regulations and policies and making sure that the animals are surviving comfortably and are happy."
Alghamdi teaches the senior practicum class and he said that while the majority of this project benefits the students who are in the class, it also benefits the students, both agricultural science majors and not, that will have the opportunity to partake in the slaughter experience.
Senior Garrett Grider, an agricultural science major, signed up to participate in the event. He said he's looking forward to people gaining an understanding of the difference between chickens that are raised in factories and chickens that are pasteurized.
"It's good for students to see how a chicken goes from being a live animal to being a piece of food on your plate," Grider said.
Zimmermann said purchasing an entire chicken costs $3 a pound, but to be part of the butchering process there's an additional $5 instructional cost. She said they're hoping to have "I butchered my own chicken" pins to give out as well.
Butchering will be at 1:00 p.m. Saturday at the University Farm. For more information about how to sign up, email Rita Jokerst at rmj3661@truman.edu.
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