December 2008

Page 1

Direct Line Keeping Our Members Informed kpa@kspork.org • www.kspork.org

Volume XXVIII

2601 Farm Bureau Road • Manhattan, KS 66502 • (785) 776-0442

December 2008

K-State Swine Day 2008: New K-State Swine Building Unveiled at Swine Day Over 350 producers, allied industry and extension personnel were on hand as the Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry unveiled a new growing and finishing swine building as part of the 2008 Swine Day held November 20 in Manhattan. Fundraising for the $650,000 building began three years ago and all funds came from donations to support research and teaching efforts in swine production, said Joel DeRouchey, livestock specialist with K-State Research and Extension. The new 75- by 208-foot building replaced an older facility, DeRouchey said. It complements several existing buildings that make up the swine unit, including a headquarters building which contains classrooms, plus farrowing and nursery, gestation and metabolism, and breeding barns. “The new facility will house pigs indoors and remove extra pigs not used Pork producers have a chance to learn about the latest for research and teaching off of dirt lots. That will help reduce pathogen loads, innovations at the Trade Show held at KSU’s Swine Day. decrease odor and generally aid the health of K-State’s swine herd,” said Extension swine specialist Jim Nelssen. The new building will expand the university’s research capabilities, said DeRouchey, adding that through large viewing windows, the building’s design will allow undergraduate and graduate students better visibility than was possible in the previous facility. “This building, which features a computerized feeding system, allows us to take pigs all the way from weaning to market in this facility,” Nelssen said. “Students will train in a state-of-the-art modern facility. They will have exposure to not only the newest technology (in the new building), but also some of the technology that has been used in the industry for awhile in some of our older buildings. That way, they will be familiar Producers got the opportunity to see the new growing and with newer, as well finishing research facility. as older technologies when they go into industry.” The building will hold up to about 1,000 head in four separate rooms, he added. The new facility was built by Henning Construction Co., based in Johnson, Iowa. K-State Research and Extension specialists Pat Murphy and Joe Harner worked with the builders on the ventilation and waste management designs, respectively. Primary donors to the new swine building include the Kansas Pork Association through increased sponsored research, the KSU Livestock and Meat Industry Council (LMIC), and chemical company, Lonza. In addition, direct swine producer and allied industry donations, as well as KSU swine nutrition Producers and extension personnel enjoyed a pork graduate student alumni helped complete the fundraising efforts. sandwich at the Open House. “We’re grateful to the people who supported this project,” Nelssen said.


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