POUL 3150 Writing Assignment 2

After multiple dissection labs the step by step process of dissecting a bird has become second nature. However successfully completing the dissection has turned out to be a rather tedious task. The hardest part of the dissection is removing the breast muscle without messing up any of the birds other anatomy. Finding the ligaments to cut is not as easy as Dr. Starkey makes it look, but as the labs have continued the process gets easier. We have just been shown a new way to remove the breast muscle by following the birds scapula laterally and removing the breast with the scapula allowing a much faster and easier removal of the breast muscle. As the birds are aging you can start to see very different anatomical features such as feathering is now covering most of the birds body and the bones of the birds are hardening. With some trial and error it has become obvious that the best tools we have during dissection is our hands. Cutting with the scissors is necessary sometimes but most of the opening past the epidermis requires hands on for the best results. Still looming in the distance is the lab final where we have to dissect a bird correctly in a set amount of time and name body parts as we go; looking at how much progress I have made makes me feel confident but I am also nervous because there is still so much to know and we have no idea what exactly we will be asked on the final. The biggest challenge right now is the get the dissection process down pat and be able to do it correctly and efficiently. I f I can get the process down and not have to worry about being able to open up the birds I know I will have no problem with the anatomy. With the recent avian influenza outbreak in North Alabama I am not sure how many more dissection labs we will get so each lab is crucial to learn as much as you can and get everything out of it you can.