Tufts Veterinary Medicine

After a record-breaking cold and snowy winter in Massachusetts, this lamb, born at Cummings School, ventures outside in early spring.

Photo: Matthew Healey

About 200 veterinary students work with the school’s flock of sheep during their first- and second-year clinical rotations. “Many of our students have never worked with livestock before,” says herdsman Scott Brundage, who teaches students everything from basic handling to performing vaccinations, dewormings and ultrasounds for pregnancy checks.

Such expertise is sorely needed nationwide. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, just 7 percent of practicing veterinarians treat both livestock and companion animals, and less than 2 percent work exclusively with food animals.