The Kansas State University (KSU) Department of Animal Sciences and Industry will unveil a new grow-finish swine building as part of the 2008 Swine Day Nov. 20 in Manhattan, KS.
Fundraising for the $650,000 building began three years ago, with all funds coming from donations to support research and teaching programs in swine production, says Joel DeRouchey, KSU livestock specialist in Research and Extension.
The new 75x208-ft. facility replaces an older building, he says. It also complements several existing swine units, including a headquarters building comprised of classrooms, farrowing and nursery, gestation and breeding barns and metabolism research facilities.
“The new facility will house pigs indoors and remove extra pigs not used for research and teaching off of dirt lots,” explains Extension Swine Specialist Jim Nelssen. “That will help reduce pathogen loads, decrease odor and generally aid the health of KSU’s swine herd.”
The new building features large viewing windows that permit 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,” says Nelssen. “Students will train in a state-of-the-art facility. They will have exposure to not only the newest technology, 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 with newer, as well as older technologies when they go into industry.”
The building will house about 1,000 grow-finish hogs in four separate rooms, he adds.
Primary sponsors included the Kansas Pork Association, the KSU Livestock and Meat Industry Council and chemical company, Lonza. Other support came directly from pork producers and allied industry, plus KSU swine nutrition graduate student alumni.
Featured speaker at Swine Day will be Ron Plain, agricultural economist, University of Missouri. He will give two presentations: “Feed vs. Fuel – What Will Be the New Trends for Corn and Soybean Meal Pricing?” and “What Can We Expect for Pork Prices in 2009 and Beyond?”
For more information on Swine Day and to view the new grow-finish barn, go online, click on Research and Extension and on Swine Day or call 785-532-1267.