The South Dakota State University Swine Education and Research Facility will increase its wean-to-finish capacity by 50% after a $1.8 million expansion. The expansion will increase the number of wean-to-finish rooms to six, allowing all pigs born at the facility to be raised through market weight on site. The new facilities will be fully operational by mid-October, increasing SDSU’s total wean-to-finish capacity to 1,800 head.
The facility, built in 2016, has supported hands-on learning, applied research and industry outreach in modern swine production over the last decade, SDSU said in a release.
Bob Thaler, Farm Credit Services of America Endowed Chair in Swine Production, says the expansion will make a positive impact for producers.
“Our swine team really focuses on production research,” Thaler, an SDSU Extension swine specialist, said in a release. “They want to answer the immediate questions of producers. And so basically, by increasing that wean-to-finish capacity by 50%, we’re going to be able to do a lot more nursery and finishing trials.”
The project received support from several commodity groups and agricultural organizations across the region, including the South Dakota Corn Utilization Council, South Dakota Pork Producers Council, South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and the Minnesota Pork Board. The amount of money raised by these groups covered the entire cost of the expansion. South Dakota Corn was the lead donor in the project with a $1.2 million gift.
“This is a wonderful example of cross-commodity cooperation,” DaNita Murray, SD Corn executive director, said in a release. “Since I came back to South Dakota to work in ag policy, it has been absolutely a pleasure and a joy to work with Jerry (SD Soybean) and Glenn (SD Pork) and folks across the commodity-spectrum to make things like this happen. It wouldn’t be possible without cooperation amongst the commodities. I really appreciate that aspect of South Dakota agriculture and hope it does nothing but continue and strengthen as the years go by.”
Jay Esser, president of the SD Corn Utilization Council, says the board voted to support the research expansion with an “eye toward the future.”
“These dollars will help strengthen the pork industry here in South Dakota as well as the research that goes on at SDSU,” Esser says.
The partnering organizations supported the university in 2016, investing more than $7 million to build the original facility, and continued that support a decade later with additional gifts to support the expansion.
“Through these partnerships, that we are so grateful for, we are moving South Dakota forward. This is a perfect example of industry and a land-grant university coming together for a shared purpose. I couldn’t be more proud,” Dunn says.
The Department of Animal Science and SDSU Extension will also host SDSU Swine Day on Sept. 29 at Club 71 in Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. The event will feature a research poster competition, expert presentations and a keynote speaker. The event is free and open to the public. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Registration is open until Sept. 23.
