Comparison of demographic characteristics, animal science subject knowledge, academic performance and critical thinking skills in students majoring in animal science and equine science

s / Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 33 (2013) 321-399 388 participants received two farm visits from University specialists; an initial visit and a follow-up visit. Prior to the first visit, participants completed a farm profile that identified farm goals, and the number of pasture acres and horses. During the initial farm visit, soil and forage (pasture and hay) samples were collected. Forage species and weeds were identified and percent ground cover in pastures was determined using a line intercept approach. An overall facilities assessmentwas completed, includingevaluationof manure management, fencing, water sources, and facility safety. Photographs of the farm and pasturewere taken, and horses were body conditioned scored and measured (body length and heart girth circumference) to estimate weight. A summary of collected data and recommendations for pasture renovation or establishment, soil fertilization, weed control, manure management, and facilities improvement, as well as aerial images of the farm and pasture management-related Extension factsheets were mailed to the participants. A follow-up farm visit was scheduled for the fall or following spring. In 2011 and 2012, 26 farms participated in thepasturemanagementprogram,withmost farms (22) used for personal recreation. Program fees covered all direct expenses and 25% of a post-doctoral research associate’s salary. An electronic survey was sent to program participants after both site visits had been completed. One hundred percent of participants planned to implement one to four changes to their farm based on recommendations from the program. One hundred percent of participants strongly agreed or agreed that the long-term recommendations addressed the goals of their farm, and 78% of participants indicated the program very highly or highly improved their ability to make more informed decisions regarding their farm. Twenty-two percent of participants reported feeding less hay since implementing changes, and 33% indicated they had extended their grazing season. In 2012, the pasture maintenance programwas developed for farms that were previously enrolled in the Pasture Evaluation Program and wanted continued assistance; 3 farms participated. The maintenance program included one site visit, forage analysis, distribution of new Extension factsheets, and allowed specialists to address any newconcerns regarding pasture management. The maintenance program costs $300 per year. In addition to providing farm visits and pasture management recommendations, the pasture management program collected data regarding the use of best management practices on horse farms in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, collected preliminary data used to pursue grant funding, served as control farms for pasturerelated research, and provided an undergraduate research opportunity for an animal science student. Comparison of demographic characteristics, animal science subject knowledge, academic performance and critical thinking skills in students majoring in animal science and equine science M.G. Rossano, S.V. Burk, W.J. Silvia, E.S. Vanzant, A.J. Pescatore, and R.J. Harmon Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, USA The Department of Animal and Food Sciences at the University of Kentucky is conducting a prospective study of student learning and degree completion as part of its overall assessment program. The first assessment of students occurs when they are enrolled in ASC 101 (Domestic Animal Biology), an introductory animal science class. There, baseline data of student demographics, background, critical thinking skills and knowledge of animal science are collected. The class is required for students in both the Animal Science (ASC) and Equine Science and Management (ESMA) degree programs, and those students comprise the majority of the class population. This study was undertaken to describe these two student populations and determine whether they differ in demographic characteristics, critical thinking skills and academic performance. Records from 270 ASC and ESMA students in the 2010 and 2011 ASC 101 classes were used for the analysis. At the start of the semester, students completed a background survey, took a 20-question animal science subject matter test and the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST). Later, the students’ final course percent in ASC 101 was added to these results. The chi-square test was used to test for associations in categorical data and the Wilcoxon rank sum or Kruskal-Wallis test was used to test for differences between group means. A p-value of 0.05 was the benchmark for significance. Results of the study showed that a significantly higher proportion of the ESMA students were from out-of-state (62% versus 38% for ASC, p < 0.0001) and were female (p < 0.005), but the two populations did not differ significantly with regard to community type (urban, suburban, rural nonfarm, or rural farm), high school type (public, private religious, private independent or homeschooled), or high school GPA. A significantly higher proportion of ASC studentswere in a pre-veterinary program of study (80% for ASC versus 23% for ESMA students, p < 0.0001) and ASC students scored significantly higher on the CCTST (p 1⁄4 0.03). The two populations did not differ significantly in their background knowledge of animal science or their final course grade percent in ASC 101. Differences in student demographics suggest that the twodegree programs attract different populations of students, with a lower proportion of ESMA students interested in careers in veterinary medicine and a higher proportion coming from outside Kentucky. The lower average CCTST score for the ESMA students indicates that critical thinking is an area for improvement that could be emphasized in the curriculum, however the lack of differences in high school GPA, animal science subject matter knowledge and the final course grade percent inASC101 suggest thatother skills are also important to academic performance. Developing compost management skills through experiential learning R.C. Bott, and E.L. Cortus College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, 57007 It is critical for college graduates to enter thework force not only knowledgeable in a topic area, but also confident in their ability to apply their knowledge.Manuremanagement