Stock Show Animal Nursery provides livestock agriculture to the public

RAPID CITY, S.D. — A warm and fuzzy part of the Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo is the First Interstate Bank barnyard animal nursery.

The nursery houses animals along with their babies as a way to educate the public about livestock agriculture.

Volunteers with the Sergeant Colton Levi Derr Foundation are on hand to answer questions about the care and role of each animal.

The Derr family has been in the ag industry for many years and enjoys sharing the hands on experience for families.

Theresa Derr, Coordinator at the Animal Nursery, says,  “That is part of why I stayed with it, because you know I grew up on a ranch, you know I know how to respect animals and what to expect with animals and this was just an excellent way of showing them different animals and teaching them how to you know, you need respect the animals just like you’d respect you best friend.”

The ag industry been a part of the Derr family for many years and has been a fundraiser for the Foundation for about five years.

Area farmers and ranchers have lent their animals to the nursery this week. Animals include a pony, goats, potbellied pigs, sheep, ewe and lambs, feeder pig, longhorn calf, zeebu and chicks.

The animal nursery is free to the public and is open each day of the stock show from 10 a.m. — 7:30 p.m.