The creation of a new ISU dairy farm with modern facilities and state-of-the-art technology has many students and faculty on campus eager to promote Iowa State as a role model for the dairy industry.

The university is waiting for final approval from the Iowa Board of Regents to build a $9 million dairy farm, which would accommodate 450 head of cattle.

“This is a big deal for the university,” said Mark Honeyman, director of research facilities and professor of animal science. “This facility is designed to serve the whole state.”

With its creation, faculty and university administrators said Iowa State will be able to provide more research opportunities, jobs and internships to students.

“It starts to fill an even greater vision we have,” said Maynard Hogberg professor and chairman of animal science.

Very few other universities have new or modern facilities, and the new farm could bring many more students to Iowa State. The farm would be an opportunity for the university to build and manage a model facility that Iowa’s dairy industry can look to, he said.

“If we could pick up a 30 percent increase of students, I’d be extremely happy,” Hogberg said.

Right now, there are about 50 dairy science majors at Iowa State.

The Ames dairy farm was closed in October 2003, after being open since 1908. Budget cuts and the farm being landlocked were primary causes for the closing. Another major factor in deciding to close the Ames dairy farm was budget reversions by the state.

“The dairy farm was losing money,” Hogberg said. “By closing it, the savings went to pay the budget reversion.”

Discussion of building a new dairy farm had been in the works for years before the closing, Honeyman said. Since a new farm was eventually going to be built, the closing moved the process forward, he said.

Key features of the new dairy farm plans include a double-12 parlor, a visitor’s center, a hospital and both maternity and calf barns, Honeyman said.

“I think … the biggest feature will be the ability to view the parlor,” Honeyman said, as visitors will be able to view the milking process.

Leo Timms, associate professor of animal science, said the dairy parlor will use state-of-the-art technology, including special features like an animal identification system, scales to detect body weight changes and automatic cattle sorting. Honeyman said even the manure management system will be modernized, as it will use the latest technology to mechanically squeeze and separate the liquid and solid waste.

After the initial dairy farm is built, Iowa State plans to begin a second phase, where a pavilion with a seating capacity of 2,000 would be built to house large animal events, flower shows and possibly the ISU Rodeo.

Sale of land from the Ankeny dairy farm will help pay for the new dairy facilities, according to budget proposals.

“It might be worth $15,000 to $20,000 per acre,” Honeyman said.

Farm officials said the new facilities will also be used for agricultural engineering, veterinary medicine and the national animal disease control center.

“We’re not just building it for Iowa State,” Timms said. “This is a facility for everybody.”

Groundbreaking is expected to be in fall 2005, Hogberg and Honeyman said.

Depending on the finalized plans, they said they want to open the center by spring 2007.