Zoo poo and ‘hot dogs’
Dog owners can learn about the link between canine obesity and heat stroke at the SRUC RHS stand
From zoo poo and animal skulls to a dog weigh-in and mechanical horse, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is bringing its expertise to life through a wide range of family-friendly activities at its Royal Highland Show stand later this month.
The theme for the stand is ‘World of Difference’, demonstrating SRUC’s journey towards becoming a different type of university, and the interactive exhibits provide an introduction to the high-quality courses offered at campuses across Scotland and its world class research, as well as the chance to talk to some of the country’s top experts in their field.
Drawing on educational links with Edinburgh Zoo, researchers from SRUC’s Animal Science team are asking people to identify poo samples and match them with Top Trump-style cards, while at the Wildlife and Conservation Management stand, they will be able to see evolutionary adaptions in native and non-native animals and test their knowledge of what different species look like with an animal skulls quiz.
Dog owners will be offered the opportunity to get their pets weighed while learning more about issues with canine obesity and how this makes them more susceptible to heat stroke during the summer months, and horse lovers can perfect their riding technique on Polly the mechanical horse, which enables riders to improve their balance, strength and co-ordination.
Future vets will be invited to handle samples from a two-dimensional model of a cow to show the types of samples that we test to diagnose disease, play an interactive game or learn more about SRUC’s School of Veterinary Medicine at various drop-in sessions.
In addition, visitors can learn about the journey of food from harvest to retail and taste a range of innovative products developed by the Food & Footprint team from SAC Consulting – part of SRUC, or to learn about the science of milk with experts from the UK Research & Innovation-funded Digital Dairy Chain.
Caroline Bysh, Vice Principal – External Relations and Student Experience, said: “Our theme this year is ‘World of Difference’ demonstrating our ambition to become a different type of university. That difference is our strength and the range of activities on offer provides a taste of the innovative work we are doing and our position within the natural economy.”
Events Manager Gemma Noble said: “We are excited to be showcasing such a wide range of interesting activities, which are suitable for children and adults alike, and are looking forward to welcoming visitors to our stand.”
The Royal Highland Show runs from 22-25 June. You can find SRUC at Stand 177 on 7th Avenue.
For more information, visit: https://bit.ly/SRUCEventsRHS.
Posted by SRUC on 12/06/2023
