U of I Dairy Center
CALS students learn outside of the classroom at the Dairy Center.
Learning Firsthand
Research projects provide hands-on opportunities.
From Farm to Table
U of I Dairy Partners Close to Home
A Dairy Future
Internship experience solidifies AVFS students’ future goals.
Dairy Center
The dairy center helps to meet the teaching, research and outreach needs of the university as they relate to dairy cattle. Classes give students hands-on experience in cattle breeding, feeding and nutrition, handling, vaccinations, calving, milk marketing and other areas.
Research at the center focuses on lactation physiology, reproduction and nutrition and involves multiple faculty, staff and students. The almost-pure-Holstein herd is used in animal evaluation classes, judging clinics and FFA and 4-H livestock contests.
The dairy houses 100 milking cows and an equal number of young stock. Lactating cows are housed in locally produced compost-bedded free stalls. The herd is milked two times a day in a double six parabone-style parlor with a WestfaliaSurge metatron milking system.
All young stock are retained and grown on site. Bull calves are raised for 45 days and sold to the USDA-ARS site on campus. Heifers become part of the milking herd.
Summertime at the dairy allows for abundant grass and forages. Dry cows and young stock are on pasture 24 hours a day from May through October. A K-line irrigation system extends the grazing season, minimizing the animals’ time on concrete.
Other facilities include:
- Heifer shed
- Maternity barn
- Calf barn
- Residence for farm manager
The dairy is located at 255 Farm Road in Moscow, behind the Palouse Empire Mall.
Dairy Parlor
Dairy Center Tours
