FEATURED PHOTO COURTESY OF ZOO KNOXVILLE
Patches, a female black-breasted leaf turtle at Zoo Knoxville, is masquerading as herself in a new 3-D printed resin mask. Created by Dr. Andrew Cushing and Dr. Kyle Snowdon at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, the prosthetic mask covers a problematic puncture wound on the turtle’s face that is believed to have been caused by her mate.
3-D printing technology has been used at UTCVM to create models of animal bones, but this is the first use of the technique by UT veterinarians to enhance the quality of life for a member of an endangered species. Black-breasted leaf turtles are native to Vietnam and southeastern China and in danger of extinction due to harvesting for food, medicine and the pet trade.
USDA Secretary Visits Ag Day
United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue—a farmer, veterinarian, businessman and former governor from Georgia— attended Ag Day. Perdue toured the
Food and Animal Science building, UT Gardens and the College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM).
PHOTO BY T. SALVADOR, COURTESY UTIA.
During the day, the institute presented its Meritorious Service Award to longtime UTIA supporter Charles Wharton of Winchester, Tennessee. Dr. Wesley Lyons, a 2014 graduate of the UTCVM and a veterinarian with Pipestone Veterinary Services of Sycamore, Illinois, received the institute’s Horizon Award. Also introduced was the UT Extension Tennessee
Farmer of the Year—Mike Robinson of Franklin County. Robinson and his family operate Sugartree Farms and Sugartree Feeds near Belvidere, Tennessee.
ANOTHER HALL of Famer for Tennessee
Steve Sutton, a retired Tennessee State 4-H director, became the seventh Tennessean inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame. Sutton worked more than 40 years for University of Tennessee Extension as a 4-H agent, specialist and leader of the statewide organization. In the Tennessee 4-H Know Your Government program, he created opportunities for thousands of high school students to experience government through mock legislative sessions in the state House and Senate chambers. He also was a leader in the Tennessee Seeds of Service program, which resulted in almost 300,000 youth and adults donating more than half a million hours of service.
