Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
10/24/02
Contacts:
Colin Johnson, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-2340, colinj@iastate.edu
Sherry Hoyer, Iowa Pork Industry Center, (515) 294-4496, shoyer@iastate.edu
Iowa Pork Industry Center Funds Six Projects
AMES, Iowa -- Sow gestation feeder design, feed additive comparison and
manure utilization with N-Serve are among the six project proposals approved
by the Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC) at Iowa State University (ISU)
for funding this fiscal year. A total of $17,400 was awarded in funding
for these projects.
IPIC extension program specialist Colin Johnson said this is the final
year of the three-year manure utilization project. The others are newly
funded projects that will last one year.
"We were impressed with the variety and quality of all the submitted proposals," Johnson said. "Budget cutbacks limited the amount of funding we are able to provide this year; however, we think these projects have great potential for useful initial results and possible future research areas. We appreciate the involvement of all the internal and external cooperators in organizing, planning and submitting the proposals."
Johnson said eight ISU Extension livestock and agricultural engineering field specialists will lead the projects. Some will include assistance from local community college personnel and the use of community college facilities. A listing of project coordinators and brief descriptions of their respective projects follows.
- Greg Brenneman and Jim Jensen received $3,000 to complete a three-year
study on the comparison of swine manure utilization with and without
N-Serve at the ISU Southeast Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm at
Crawfordsville. Study results are expected to help producers determine
the optimal usage and fall application period of swine manure as a crop
nutrient resource.
- Dave Stender received $2,400 to lead a study on comparison of nursery feed additives at Iowa Lakes Community College (ILCC) in Emmetsburg. This trial will test the effectiveness of an all-natural feed additive versus a traditional antibiotic versus no additive. Jerry Weiss and Dennis DeWitt also are on this project team, along with Marv Carlson of ILCC.
- Russ Euken received $2,500 for a comparison study of large pen finishing with the use of an automatic sorting scale versus more traditional small pen finishing barns. This study will include several variables, with the ultimate goal of determining economic and managerial differences between these two facility types. A Winnebago County swine producer will be a cooperator in this project.
- Larry McMullen received $4,000 for a comparison study of a new feeder design for crated gestation. The study will be conducted at Kirkwood Community College (KCC) in Cedar Rapids with the assistance of KCC swine unit manager and lead instructor Arlin Karsten, who designed the new feeder.
- Dan Meyer and Mark Storlie received $3,000 to investigate possible benefits of treating drinking water for finishing pigs with hydrogen peroxide. The study will compare differences in productivity, water and feed consumption, illness and mortality levels and medication costs between treatment and control groups. It will be conducted on a northeast Iowa farm.
- Kris Kohl received $2,500 for a two-part water quality project to help determine optimum retention time for solid settling from swine feedlot runoff. Field verification and laboratory portions are included in the project, to be conducted at the ISU swine nutrition farm near Ames and the Allee Demonstration Farm near Newell.
-30-
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.