POUL 3150 Writing Assignment 3

As we near the end of the semester and I look back on what I knew before this class and what I know now I am very pleased. There is a lot to know in poultry physiology and even though we have only scratched the surface of the material I have learned so much. With each system we cover the dots connect more and more and I start to see the big picture of the avian body. I have really started to grasp an understanding that all of the systems in the body connect together and form one, well oiled machine in the chicken. Things I learned in production that I never knew why it happened I know why now. I have also had the opportunity to learn about some new problems in the industry such as wooden breast and avian influenza. Learning about them both in class and being able to first hand experience the wooden breast in lab helps to understand the problems the industry is having. The dissection labs have really been a major learning tool for this class and with only a few dissection labs left I am starting to realize that there is a lot more to know. The dissection has really proven to be more difficult as the birds have gotten bigger. As we have gone through each of the systems I realize that things we learned earlier in the year I have partially forgotten about them and I have to go back and revisit parts that I know will be on the lab practical. The lab practical is slowly creeping up on us and with only a few labs left I am really starting to get nervous about being able to remember all of the material. Although this time of the year is very stressful and knowing that some of the hardest parts of this class are still awaiting I am very pleased with how this class has gone this year. The knowledge I have gained from physiology has showed me the "why" in so many aspects of poultry production. The things I have learned can do nothing but help me later on in my career in the poultry industry. Regardless of how the lab practical ends or the final exam the material I have lean red in this class are priceless in any poultry industry setting and knowledge is what is going to drive the industry in the future.