By Heather Turner

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine lost a valuable member of their educational team, Beatrice the cow.

Beatrice, 21, died last week, but news of her death was just released.  Her empty stall is just a reminder of how useful beatrice was to over 700 veterinary students.

"There's really not a price that I can put on it as far as how really important she truly was to the hospital, to the students, to the clients that we have here and the health of other animals as well," said Assistant Professor John Schlipf.

Instructors say she was a fistulated cow.  She had a small, plastic-like device placed in her stomach that allowed students the opportunity to feel what it's like inside a cow's stomach.

Students were also able to transfer rumen juices from her digestive system that were used to save lives of sick cows, llamas and alpacas.

The veterinary college plans to replace Beatrice with another fistulated cow within the next six months.

Photo courtesy of OSU.