By Brayan Jose Cruz Cruz (Honduras)
During my fourth year of Agricultural Engineering in Zamorano, I am in North Carolina, United States. I am doing my internship at the Smithfield Hog Production Division of Murphy Brown LLC, in the areas of pregnancy and childbirth. My internship is based on participation in the whole process of pig production on a farm of 3,600 animals. My tasks are feeding, checking the temperature of the area, removing dead animals and looking for sows showing lesions or disease. I also apply medication, process litters (cut tails and inject iron) and monitor deliveries. I have participated in weaning piglets since the farm has the capacity to send 1,500 piglets per week to fattening farms.
The company has an orientation program for interns. We receive lectures on animal handling, proper use of all facilities, and other issues of vital importance to do a good job on the farms. There is no doubt Murphy Brown LLC is a unique experience.
