Two Minutes

The man who brings life to the Iowa State Fair

The Animal Learning Center at the Iowa State Fair is entering its second year and is already one of the most popular exhibits. Jim West, along with students and volunteers from the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, organizes the center where fair-goers can watch the births of calves, ewe-lambs, goats and piglets.

And the crowd goes wild: "It was interesting," said West. "When we had a cow calving, people would sit in the ALC for hours waiting to see it. Some people were in there for three hours. When the calf would be born, they would applaud. Then the calf would struggle to stand up and every time it fell over, there would be this 'ahh.' Then it would struggle to get up and finally succeeded there would be this wild, crazy applause."

Have a cow, man: "We're a farm state but 90 percent of our people -- especially kids -- haven't seen live births. This is a chance to show them that. I've been in veterinary practice since 1971 and I couldn't count the number of foals and lambs and calves I've delivered. And yet, every time it is still exciting to me. So I know it's exciting to others."

-- Dan Kuester