As it has for many years, the University of California, Davis, will play an active part in this year's California State Fair, which opens today, and runs through Sept. 1. Below is a list of UC Davis-coordinated events.

CLONED CALVES -- Dot and Ditto, two 3-month-old Holstein dairy calves, and Daisy, the 3-year-old cow from which they were cloned, will be displayed near the livestock nursery by the UC Davis Department of Animal Science. Cloned animals are genetically identical to one single ancestor, rather than sharing genetic characteristics from a mother and father. In this case, the calves were cloned from Daisy's cells, which were grown in a laboratory dish. The genetic information was extracted from Daisy's cells and inserted into a "vacant" recipient cell, which then grew into an embryo. Each embryo was transferred to a surrogate cow, which gave birth to the cloned calf. Posters will be displayed explaining livestock cloning.

DACHSHUND DERBY -- The fourth annual dachshund dog agility trials will be held Sunday, Aug. 31 in the Budweiser Grandstand. For a $1 donation to UC Davis' Shelter Dog Rescue Project, spectators may place a "wiener wager" on one of the contestants in the trial heats and receive a blue ribbon if the dog they back wins. Through the Shelter Dog Rescue Project, veterinary students select adoptable dogs from local animal shelters, place them with foster families and 4-H members for training and then locate permanent homes for the dogs. More information on the shelter dog project is available online at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/Clubs/ShelterDog/.

LIVESTOCK NURSERY -- For the 27th year, a team of veterinarians and 35 trained students from UC Davis' School of Veterinary Medicine will staff the fair's livestock nursery around-the-clock to make sure that the farm animals born at the fair and their mothers are healthy and well cared for. Fairgoers can observe the births and learn about other aspects of farm life, while the veterinary students gain valuable clinical experience. Dr. Ben Norman, a Cooperative Extension veterinarian emeritus from UC Davis, will be coordinating the livestock nursery for the 27th year. The nursery exhibit is supported by the UC Davis' Veterinary Medical Teaching hospital, the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, UC Davis' Animal Science Department and by regional agricultural producers. Dr. Norman can be reached by cell phone at (530) 681-2222.

VETLINC SCANS NURSERY -- To record and broadcast animal births and other activities, the Veterinary Livestock Nursery Camera (VetLinC) will operate four interactive Web cameras inside the nursery. Scenes from the nursery will be displayed on the School of Veterinary Medicine's Web site at http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu. Online viewers may zoom in on livestock pens and choose which animals they want to observe.

HAND-MILKING EXHIBIT (East of the livestock pavilion) -- Fairgoers may try their hands at milking a dairy cow or dairy goat, after observing the proper techniques demonstrated by students from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Participating children will receive Certificates of Completion to mark their milking accomplishments.

SHOW-ANIMAL HEALTH CHECKUP -- UC Davis veterinarians and veterinary students provide health checkups for animals being shown at the state fair. The veterinary staff examines the animals for signs of contagious problems like skin conditions, reviews vaccinations and other health documents, and checks for proper identification. These screenings help assure that all food animals meet the fair's health standards. The veterinary team also makes a hand-sanitation program available for those touching animals in the nursery and in the hand-milking parlor.