October 13, 2008

The Kansas State University's Department of Animal Sciences and Industry will unveil a new growing and finishing swine building on November 20 in Manhattan.

The US$650,000 and 75- by 208-foot building will replace an older facility, said Joel DeRouchey, livestock specialist with the K-State Research and Extension.

The new facility will complement several existing buildings that make up the swine unit, including a headquarters building with classrooms, farrowing and nursery, gestation and metabolism, and breeding barns.

The new building will house pigs indoors and remove additional pigs not used for research and teaching off of dirt lots, which would help reduce pathogen loads, decrease odour and improve the health of K-State's swine herd, said Extension swine specialist Jim Nelssen.

The new facility will also improve the university's research capabilities, said DeRouchey.

Feature a computerised feeding system, the facility will hold up to 1,000 head in four separate rooms, Nelssen added.