UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Taking a page from a hugely popular television show, Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences invites livestock producers to take part in "CSI: Rock Springs" at Ag Progress Days Aug. 15-17.

In each of the CSI television episodes, crime scene investigators are faced with a mystery that they solve by carefully collecting and considering evidence found at the scene of the crime. Farmers could learn a lot from that kind of organized, detail-oriented approach, believes John Comerford, associate professor of dairy and animal science, who is coordinator of CSI: Rock Springs.

"Farmers regularly confront mysterious situations, such as, say, a calf dying, and how they respond can have serious implications for their operations," he says. "Using that example, they need to decide whether it was just an isolated incident or if there is some sort of disease present that could threaten their entire herd.

"At CSI: Rock Springs, we are going to try to involve the people in the audience as we go through the deduction process, ask them what they would do if they were confronted with certain scenarios, teach them what appropriate conclusions," Comerford adds. "We think this approach will make for an interesting and entertaining way to address serious problems that farmers often face."

During Ag Progress Days, there will be several "crime scenes" presented daily, including "Abortions in Cattle" at 10 a.m., "Foaming Mouth and Slobbers in Horses and Cattle" at 11 a.m., "Itchy Dogs" at 1 p.m., and "Newborn Calf Death" at 2 p.m. The program will feature an interactive tour of the "crime" scenes with an interview; an " investigation," which includes searching for physical "evidence" on the farm; and a "laboratory," which will involve diagnostics and drawing a conclusion.

CSI: Rock Springs will take place in the animal greenhouse in the animal sciences area off West 10th Street. Faculty specialists from the departments of dairy and animal science and veterinary and biomedical sciences will be involved in the program.

Penn State's Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 15; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 16; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 17. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

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EDITORS: Contact John Comerford at 814-863-3661 or by e-mail at jxc16@psu.edu.

Jeff Mulhollem Writer/Editor Phone: 814-863-2719 E-mail: jjm29@psu.edu