Dairy Science Department |
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Dairy Unit DescriptionsDairy Cattle Instructional UnitThe Dairy Cattle Instructional Unit allows for a wide range of instructional activities. The facility includes two meeting/classrooms, a computer room, a nutrition and physiology laboratory, a microbiology laboratory, and a computer system dedicated to software for dairy management practices. The cost to build the facility was $4.5 million. The first cows were milked here on June 4, 1992. Milking ParlorThe Milking Parlor located within the Dairy Cattle Unit is a double-8 rapid-exit herringbone, equipped with automatic takeoffs and a backflush system. The milk passes through an energy-efficient pre-cooling system before being stored in two 3,000-gallon bulk tanks. This dual-tank system allows milk to be segregated by herds, breeds, or specific cow groups for herd management practice or student research projects. Physiology LabThe Physiology Lab is primarily used for artificial insemination, feed analysis, and dairy biotechnology courses. Students also perform experiments and applications such as embryo manipulations and transfer techniques in this lab. Hospital/Maternity BarnThe Hospital/Maternity Barn is used for calving and doctoring sick animals. Milking Cow BarnThe Milking Cow Barn houses the Foundation dairy herd, which is primarily used for educational enterprises and is comprised of registered Jersey and Holstein cattle. Heifer Housing and Project BarnThe Heifer Housing and Project Barn is equipped for individual feeding and allows for a separate environment for experimental projects. To clean the parlor floors, freestall barns, and all alleyways, a gravity flow flush system is used. Water flows down the flush lanes, enters a sand trap and then a settling tank. From this tank, the solids are pumped to a manure separator. Liquids continue on to the waste lagoons. The liquid is recycled for flushing or irrigation. Solids are composted, dried, and utilized as bedding for the milk cow herd. Dairy Product Teaching and Research BuildingThe Dairy Product Teaching and Research Building is the newest addition to the dairy unit. It was completed in 1996 at a cost of $7.5 million. A pilot plant is fully equipped with small scale processing capabilities. Students and scientists do detailed analysis of physical and chemical properties of dairy products and develop new products in the research laboratories. Due to biosecurity, no tours are permitted in the dairy plant and research building. Milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, dry milk, and other dairy products are manufactured, tested and packaged in the dairy plant, or creamery, located in the Dairy Products Building. Some products are sold at the Campus Store and other stores. Dairy PlantThe new facility is utilized as both a teaching and research laboratory and to produce dairy products for the University and community. Students learn how to manage a processing plant and the science and technology of manufacturing milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, and cottage cheese. They are also involved in the distribution and marketing of the dairy products. In addition, the plant is used for new product development and for processing research. |
Cal Poly Cheese
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