“In cold temperatures, the supplements or vaccines that dairy farmers give to cows get thick, and they’re hard to administer. They break syringes or it takes too long to give to the cow. We came up with a heated bag that would keep injectibles at room temperature. It can be worn on a belt, and has battery-powered heating units and a thermo-reflective layer that acts as a barrier be­tween cold and hot. A felted top with elastic keeps out the cold but makes it easy to put your hand inside to get a syringe. It will make farmers’ lives just a little bit easier and improve the quality of care they provide their cows.” 

—Peter Breimhurst, ’17, microbiology major aiming to be a veterinarian, whose team won the U of M Extension’s 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge, sponsored by donors such as Minnesota Corn Growers Association, AgStar Financial Services, Jennie-O Turkey Stores, and Pentair; the first of its kind in the country, the program pairs youth with adult mentors to develop science-based solutions for agriculture-related issues in their communities