Lindsay Callahan always knew she wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up. At 26, she's not a vet yet, but she has a job that lets her care for the animals she loves and get lots of hands-on training that will help her in vet school.

Callahan cares for the animals that live on the farm at the University of Maryland in College Park. She is responsible for 61 animals, including 29 lambs, 15 ewes, 8 horses, 4 beef steers, 3 adult rams and 2 cows that are used to teach students at the university. Each animal has a personality, Callahan says. There's Pete, the T-shirt-chewing beef steer who Callahan says is the "ruffian" of the group, and Dutch, the "gentleman" horse.

"When you are around them every day, you really get to know them. It's our great big farm family," Callahan says.

But being a farm manager doesn't mean she can just play with animals all day. Callahan has to keep careful records on every animal, tracking what they eat and when they aren't feeling well.

Sometimes working with animals can be tough. Part of caring for animals is knowing when one is too hurt or sick to live. "Is it beneficial to help this animal or will it prolong its suffering? Then you have to make that call," Callahan says. "I never like to do that. Never."

Being a farm manager also means that Callahan has no set schedule; the animals are her bosses. Last month, when there were 15 pregnant ewes, Callahan slept in her office and got three hours of sleep a night -- when she was lucky. Callahan helped deliver 29 lambs.

"Babies are the most time-consuming no matter what the species," she says.

Callahan knows that there's always more to learn about the animals she cares for: "[I am] constantly reading books. No matter what I know now, I will know more tomorrow."

-- Amy Orndorff