Groundbreaking set for Tarleton dairy
Feb. 10, 2009
STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS—One of the most anticipated construction projects on Tarleton State University’s campus is about to break ground. On Feb. 27 at 10 a.m., a groundbreaking ceremony will be held to mark the beginning of construction on the university’s Southwest Regional Dairy Center, which is designed to be a model dairy.
The highly anticipated center is expected to be a premier learning and research dairy serving Texas and its surrounding states.
“We plan to open the dairy center up to other universities in the region so that they may also be able to use it for research and learning opportunities,” said Dr. Barry Lambert, department head and dairy science specialist. “We are working with others in the design phase so it will be useful to other universities and other groups, including industry.”
In addition to traditional dairy science research, other research applications that will be conducted at the center include business, finance, engineering, medical, animal behavior, labor management, energy recovery from agricultural wastes and environmental sciences. It will also serve as a center for agricultural undergraduate research.
Key points in the innovative design of the center include a rotary parlor, auto animal ID and multiple energy recovery systems. A start-up company in Waco, called EQMA, already has plans to build a demonstration plant at the center that will be able to turn manure into ethanol. Other industry partners are developing plans for methane, algae, biodiesel and additional innovative energy conversion technologies.
“Eventually, we would love for energy recovery systems at the dairy to help offset a portion or all of the facility’s electrical costs,” Lambert said.
Because of its location in the Bosque River watershed, much effort is being made to make the facility as environmentally friendly as possible.
“Restrictions are different in this watershed than others,” Lambert said. “Our environmental engineers are working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to make sure the dairy has the minimal environmental impact that science currently allows.”
Future research and development will further refine and enhance the technology to lessen the center’s environmental impact.
Construction is expected to last about a year, but the hope is that the center will start milking cows by January 2010.
The main architectural engineering firm for the project is Hanfeld Hoffer Stanford, which is based out of Fort Worth. However assisting in the center’s design is Five G Consulting, which is a dairy design company.
Officials participating in the groundbreaking include Tarleton President F. Dominic Dottavio, other university officials, Congressman John Carter (R-TX) and State Representative Sid Miller (District 59), who was instrumental in securing funding for the facility’s construction.
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