Lauren Christian Swine Research and Demonstration Farm

The Wallace Foundation was formed in 1990 to enhance agricultural research and education for Southwest Iowa. A donation of a 70-acre swine research farm by Cargill, Inc. in 1995 established the Southwest Iowa Swine Research and Demonstration Farm. The facility was renamed in 1998 as the Laren Christian Swine Research and Demonstration Farm to honor a distinguished Iowa State University animal scientist. The farm is managed as a satellite of the Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm.

Agro-Climatic Zone

Southwest Iowa

Soils

Nearly level to gently sloping bench soils characterize the farm area. Predominant soils are:

Minden:
0-2 percent slope, deep dark colored soils that are somewhat poorly drained. These soils formed under prairie grass loess and have high available moisture capacity.

Marshall, benches:
0-2 percent slope, this deep dark soil is adjacent to and on both sides of the East Nishnabotna River. These soils tend to be high in organic matter and have good tilth.

Research

Crops. Researchers evaluate row spacing, populations and planting dates for both corn and soybean crops. Agroforestry plots also are located on the farm.

Swine. Animal scientists compare different swine gestation and farrowing systems. Researchers conduct performance evaluations of various farrowing crate designs, feeding systems, building designs, ventilation systems and manure-handling systems. Studies on odor control measures also are conducted on the farm.

Facilities

Two 30-by-108 feet hoop structures, a confinement building and a curtain-sided partially slatted building are used to house gestating sows. Four farrowing rooms, a central breeding building and two modular nursery buildings support the swine production systems research. A 500,000 gallon manure storage tank with a 3-4 inch cover of Leka rock, an aerobic manure storage tank and composted solid bedding are used to demonstrate manure-handling and odor control methods.