University of Guelph Breaks Ground for New Dairy Research Facility
By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
The University of Guelph broke ground on its new Livestock Innovation Centre for dairy research on Friday. The $25 million project is part of the university’s Elora Research Station, which will replace aging facilities with a new station that will expand the university’s livestock research capacities.
Built to be a world-class research facility, the new centre will address research and education needs of the dairy industry. Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) touts that the new centre will help ensure Ontarians continue to receive high-quality dairy products that consumers demand. Some of the key research priorities include genomics and feed optimization to improve milk production.
The Ontario government has pledged $20 million towards the project, and DFO has committed $5 million. The new research centre will also serve as an important resource for area dairy farmers. Currently, there are 4,000 dairy farms in Wellington County, representing about 10 percent of Ontario’s dairy producers. The new research centre is expected to be completed by fall of 2014.