Our day started with a journey to Irene. We were met by a professor from the Agricultural Research Council (ARC): Professor Michiel Scholtz. He presented about climate change and livestock production in SA. Then some masters and PhD students from the ARC presented their projects to us; these projects won awards in a research competition. We then journeyed to the ARC’s bull testing station, where the measurement of methane emissions from cattle was demonstrated. We also went and visited the dairy unit along with the meat science department. The dairy unit’s milking parlour was herringbone style instead of rotary, which I found interesting. Seeing their meat lab and comparing it to SDSU’s meat lab was also a learning experience. On our way to Trekpad we stopped at Embryo Plus. Embryo Plus is a research facility where the first IVF buffalo was successfully produced and the first calf was cloned in Africa. About 80% of their business is conducted with cattle while the other 20% is game animals, such as impala, buffalo, and wildebeest. Our final destination was Trekpad Safari. This place is gorgeous, with traditional Dutch influenced buildings including a church created by the owner’s son-in-law. You can walk out of the bathroom and run into an eland not 2 feet away! Some of us may have more occupants than expected in our rooms with our new salamander and other insect friends. We were served an amazing meal at a table fit for a king. The meal consisted of a braai (barbeque) that contained Afrikaner filet steaks, mutton curry, cheesy broccoli/cauliflower, and sweet potatoes that include orange juice and syrup. For dessert we had a cheesecake with cheery topping served with custard. It was all delicious!  (Written by Kenzie and Alana)

Our "braai" (barbeque) at Trekpad.  Afrikaner beef!  Delicious!

A bull at the ARC Testing Station.

The absolutely beautiful family church at Trekpad Safaris.

The huge number of liquid nitrogen tanks at Embryo Plus