WSU Swine Center
The WSU Swine Center is one of the only swine facilities at a university in the western United States. The Swine Center provides pigs, facilities, and supervision for the conduct of basic and applied research and extension activities to address important issues impacting the swine industry in the Northwest and the entire United States. The Swine Center also actively contributes to the teaching programs within the Department of Animal Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine, in addition to the Department of Animal and Veterinary Science at the University of Idaho.
Located about 5 miles from campus, the Swine Center is a farrow-to-finish operation that was built in the late 1970’s. The herd is comprised of approximately 120 sows of Landrace and Yorkshire lineage. Semen is purchased from an outside source to produce both market animals and replacement gilts. Farrowing occurs every month and pigs are marketed year round.
The Swine Center is a self-supporting facility that utilizes several different marketing options including:
- Seltice Livestock Association Pool
- Lewiston Livestock Market
- WSU Meats Lab
- University of Idaho Meats Lab
- Feeder pig contract
- Show pigs for 4-H and FFA youth
- Research companies
Mr. Dean Peters is the Swine Center Manager. He employs about 8 part-time students and oversees the Student Swine Cooperative (SSC) throughout the school year. SSC is a group of students that own 10 sows and their offspring. The members of SSC are responsible for feeding, caring, breeding, marketing, and record keeping of their animals.
Tours of the Swine Center are welcomed, however we are very conscious about biosecurity. Therefore, prior arrangements need to be made well in advance by contacting the manager at:
WSU Swine Center Manager
Phone 509-335-2287
Fax: 509-335-1082
PO Box 646310
Pullman, WA 99164-6310
d.n.peters@wsu.edu
Mission
The Swine Center at Washington State University provides an integrated program for advancing swine education for students and industry and government personnel; promoting swine research on genetics/genomics, nutrition, reproduction, meat quality and safety, animal well-being and behavior, environmental management and biomedical application; and developing outreach programs for practical swine production technologies to better serve the needs of Washington State and Pacific Northwest pork producers.
Research
The WSU Swine Center assists in several research protocols of faculty and graduate students in the WSU Department of Animal Sciences. The management philosophy of the center is to meet the requests of the individual researchers and the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Current Research
Zhihua Jiang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Research Area: Genetics/Genomics
Contact Information: Phone: 509-335-8761; Fax: 509-335-4246; Email: jiangz@wsu.edu; Website: http://www.ansci.wsu.edu/People/jiang/faculty.aspx
Derek J. McLean, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Research Area: Reproductive Physiology
Contact Information: Phone: 509-335-8759; Fax: 509-335-4246; Email: dmclean@wsu.edu; Website: http://www.ansci.wsu.edu/People/mclean/faculty.aspx
John P. McNamara, Ph.D., Professor
Research Area: Nutrition
Mark L. Nelson, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Research Area: Nutrition
Ruth C. Newberry, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Research Area: Animal Behavior/Well-being
Contact Information: Phone: 509-335-5059; Fax: 509-335-4246; Email: rnewberry@wsu.edu; Website: http://www.ansci.wsu.edu/People/newberry/faculty.aspx
Teaching - Courses that use Swine Center
AS 101 – Introductory Animal Sciences
Course topics include the types and breeds of livestock, livestock terminology and methods and management systems. Student take part in a laboratory conducted at the Swine Center to get hands on experience with management practices.
AS 178 – Swine Management Laboratory
The course is designed as an introduction to the management practices associated with a swine enterprise. The course uses the Swine Center for students to get hands on experience with all aspects of swine management.
AS 260 – Live Animal and Carcass Evaluation
The course provides students with the basic principles of live animal and carcass evaluation. Pigs from the swine center are used for student evaluation.
AS 313 – Feeds and Feeding
Students learn about the utilization, practices, requirements and calculations for rations for animals. The laboratory section uses the Swine Center for students to gain experience with feed preparation for a swine enterprise.
AS 378 – Advanced Livestock and Meat Selection and Evaluation
The course teaches the principles and practices of livestock and meat selection and evaluation. Field trips to the swine center for swine evaluation are conducted.
AS 399 – Practicum: Student Swine Cooperative
Students that are members of the Student Swine Cooperative (SSC) register for variable credits of AS 399. Hands on experience in all aspects of a swine enterprise. May be repeated credit up to 12 credits.
AS 454 – Artificial Insemination and Pregnancy Detection
Students learn the techniques for semen handling, insemination and pregnancy in livestock. The course is primarily focused on cattle although students use gilts at the swine center to learn artificial techniques in swine.
AS 478 – Swine Production
This course covers the principles of breeding, feeding, management and marketing of swine. Not currently taught.
Swine Extension
Washington Pork Producers Newsletter
Tri-annual distributed Dec/Jan, April/May, Sept/Oct.
Edited by Sarah Smith with input from producers and extension specialists.
Current mailing list of 700 people.
Contact Sarah Smith to be placed on the mailing list (509) 754-2011 x413 or e-mail at smithsm@wsu.edu
WSU Show Pig Sales1/14/12, 10:00 am
WSU Cattle Feeding Laboratory 4/7/12, 11:00 am Grant County Fairgrounds 4/28/12, 10:00 am WSU Cattle Feeding laboratory |
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Links ( Adobe Acrobat Reader may be required )
- Environmental Management of Young Pigs During Cool Weather
- Feeding Food Wastes to Swine
- Handling and Management to Prevent Stress in Show Pigs
- Meat Quality
- Points to Remember in the Ring
- Reading Pig Ear Notches
- Summer Management of Growing Finishing Swine-Including Show Pigs