Selected as a pilot university in the field of animal husbandry, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ) continues its work in this field by adding new projects. MAKÜ scientists, who have taken on the task of combating animal diseases and preventing calf losses, provide added value to the regional and national economy, especially in Burdur, with the projects they produce.
One of these projects is the wheelchair for bedridden calves, developed by MAKÜ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine academics and currently in the patent stage. The wheelchair project has become a major solution for calf deaths for breeders in Burdur and surrounding provinces. Thanks to this vehicle, which provides physical therapy opportunities for bedridden calves, the animals regain their ability to walk.
The wheelchair for bedridden calves, which stands out among the projects carried out within the scope of MAKÜ's Regional Development Oriented Animal Husbandry Project, has also started to be used by MAKÜ Animal Hospital and veterinarians.
The project managers of the wheelchair production project for bedridden calves, developed to prevent calf deaths, Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Harun Çınar from MAKÜ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Department of Surgery and Assoc. Dr. Ramazan Yıldız from the Department of Internal Medicine, provided information about the calves brought to MAKÜ Animal Hospital and treated.
Treatment Success with Wheelchair for Bedridden Calves
Assoc. Dr. Ramazan Yıldız provided information about the treatment for the twin calves brought to the clinic. Yıldız, explaining the treatment process, said, "The twin calves brought to our clinic presented with complaints of diarrhea. After diarrhea, necessary fluid treatments were applied to the calves following the tests conducted. One of the twins recovered and was sent back to the farm. However, the other calf developed decubitus ulcers in its joints due to prolonged lying down and therefore could not stand. Thanks to this device, which is one of the projects carried out within the scope of the Regional Development Oriented Animal Husbandry Project, it became possible to activate the legs and provide physical therapy by tying the animal from underneath. In such cases, it is necessary to keep the calves standing at certain intervals, massage them, and encourage them to walk. Our device, for which our university has applied for a patent, has started to be actively used in the treatment of calves." he said.
Increase in Survival Rate in Calves
Project manager Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Harun Çınar stated that the wheelchair developed for bedridden calves is in the patent process and that the survival rate of calves has increased thanks to this wheelchair. Çınar said, "Our 'wheelchair for bedridden calves' project, initiated in 2019 within the scope of the Animal Husbandry Project, has now started to bear fruit. Our wheelchair, which is in the patent process, has started to be used and evaluated by various users. The obtained data showed that the survival rate of calves increased, the recovery process became more qualitative, and the calves were cared for more comfortably in suitable environments." he said.
