Agriculture Students And Staff Expanding Swine Facilities
(Press Release 12-03-07)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Eastern Oklahoma State College Division of Agriculture staff and students are renovating and expanding their swine evaluation facilities located at the Wilburton Campus.

Assisted by a grant from the Oklahoma Rural Rehabilitation Corporation (ORRC) and materials from B.P. America, Chesapeake Energy, Alford Metal, and Greg Welton an eight hundred thirty-two square foot feeding floor is nearing completion and will be placed in operation in early December.  “The completion of our feeding floor will allow Eastern Students to be involved with a swine operation from farrow to finish” stated Troy Walker, Farm Operations Manager.

“In addition to contributions by ORRC and area companies, eight individuals have contributed breeding females to this project” said Todd Blocker, Animal Science Instructor.  Blocker continued by stating “the facility will allow students enrolled in Introduction to Animal Science, Livestock Selection, Meat Animal Carcass Evaluation, and Introduction to Livestock Processing to gain real world applications in the area of swine production”.

In addition to expanding the educational opportunities for agriculture majors at Eastern the swine project has been designed to serve two additional populations.  “The facility is open to area FFA and 4H groups for educational tours and as the animals reach market weight, they will be harvested by Meat Processing/Food Safety students and served to Eastern’s students through the college’s cafeteria” stated Josh Roberts, Meat Processing/Food Safety Instructor.