An auction marked the end of operations at the Iowa State Dairy Farm, but not the university’s commitment to maintaining a strong dairy science program, said ISU officials.

“This isn’t the last chapter in the Iowa State dairy teaching farm,” said Wendy Wintersteen, associate dean of the College of Agriculture, addressing the crowd at the dairy herd dispersal auction Saturday.

During the sale, 113 cows and calves were auctioned off. About 150 separate cows are being kept at Iowa State’s Ankeny dairy farm and Northeastern Iowa Community College in Calmar until a new farm opens.

In late June, the College of Agriculture announced plans to close the Iowa State Dairy Farm due to budget cuts. The farm, located at 2602 Mortensen Rd., has been operating for 98 years.

The Board of Regents gave Iowa State permission to begin developing a new dairy farm, Wintersteen said. Over the next three years, Iowa State plans to build a new facility on a site south of Ames on State Street.

“I can’t overstate the commitment the university has for the new facility,” Wintersteen said.

Douglas Kenealy, university professor of animal science, is heading the committee for the development of the new farm.

“We’ve made what I think is a momentous decision,” Kenealy told the crowd. “All six breeds will be represented at the new facility.”

Three heifers of each breed were reserved and taken to the university’s research farm at Ankeny, Kenealy said. The new farm will have 50 Holsteins, 50 Jerseys, 50 Brown Swiss and a group of 50 cattle comprised of Ayrshires, Brown Swiss, Guernseys and Milking Shorthorns.

Auction attendees came from a mix of backgrounds and for a variety of reasons. “Dig deep,” Kenealy told prospective buyers in the crowd. “This is your way to help support Iowa State’s dairy program.”

Student jobs remain up in the air. Sarah Dirks, senior in dairy science, said Saturday was possibly her last day working at the farm, where she has worked since last year.

“Of course I’m sad,” Dirks said, as she herded cattle about an hour before the auction. “This is what I enjoy doing.”

Students from Northeastern Community College’s Dairy Science Club made the two-and-a-half hour drive to Ames three times last week to prepare for the auction.

Lori Beockenstedt, a second year student at Northeastern Iowa Community College and vice president of the Dairy Science Club, plans to transfer to Iowa State next fall as a junior.

Beockenstedt said she is optimistic about the dairy science program at Iowa State, despite the closure of the dairy farm.

“I’ve talked to [Lee Kilmer, professor of animal science] and he’s assured me it’s not going to change the curriculum or the way things are taught,” she said.

After being washed and clipped, the cows and calves were ready to step into the show ring Saturday. Some had been shown before, through the Story County 4-H Share-A-Heifer program.

Ames resident Mark Atkins, leader of the Share-A-Heifer program, said the program allows Story County 4-H members who live in town to use animals from the dairy farm.

“We were telling everyone this could have been the last dairy show at the Story County Fair,” Atkins said.

Laura Snell, sophomore at Ames High, showed Iowa State dairy farm heifers through the program for the last six years.

“We seriously love our animals,” Snell said.

“Almost everyone is here watching … Almost all of the Brown Swiss that [went to the auction ring] today have been 4-H projects.”

Lizer’s Livestock of Gowrie conducted the auction for Iowa State.

The starting price of each animal was determined based on its age and history. Most started around $1,000 and sold for between $1,300 and $1,400. The top milking cow sold for $1,950, said Dan Vonnahme, owner of Lizer’s Livestock.

“We go until every cow is sold,” Vonnahme said. “No messing around.”

More than 100 prospective buyers filled the dairy pavilion to bid.

Vincent Ruzic, a Wisconsin dairy farmer and president of the National Milking Shorthorn Association, came to the auction because he was interested in purchasing two or three Milking Shorthorn heifers.

Ruzic, who has been in charge of Wisconsin Milking Shorthorn sales for the last 15 years, said the cows looked better in person than in the catalog distributed by the university.

Dale and Marcia Shaver Floyd, of the Mysha Farm of St. Anthony, came to look for themselves and another out-of-state buyer.

“We saw the pedigrees in the book and thought it was worthwhile to look,” Marcia said.

After walking through the barn, she said the cattle were better than what she had expected.

“We don’t often have a sale this close to home with quality stock,” Dale said.