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, Mr 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 for research and teaching off dirt lots. That will help reduce pathogen loads, 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 Mr 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," Mr 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 with newer, as well 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 graduate student alumni helped complete the fundraising efforts.

"We're grateful for all the people who put money into this project," Mr Nelssen said.

More information on K-State's Swine Day and the opportunity to view the new growing and finishing building is available online here or call 785-532-1267.