Cattle Facilities
Capacity for 3,000-head of cattle
Different pen sizes allowing adequate space for any research protocol or marketing study
- Majority of pens are designed for eight to ten head with the capability of expanding to 16 to 20 head
- Additionally pens designed to provide 25-100 head capacity
- 2 pens with a 240-head capacity
- Reduced pathogen environment area—Sero-negative cattle are available seasonally.
- Wheat and grass pastures available seasonally
- Industry-standard and up-to-date feed mixing and delivery system
- Feed and ingredient weight measures for maximum sensitivity
- Micro ingredient machine
- State-of-the-art feed mill with 18×36 inch Ferrell Ross grain roll—steam flaked grain, fat tank; therefore, simulate the industry.
- Coefficient of variation mixer equipment See Agri Research Center, Inc. mixer truck evaluation
- Initial individual weights with a computerized chute system (individual weights in one-pound increments)
- Individual check weights and finished cattle weights with a computer walk thru the system
-Ultrasound measurement - Grow Safe Electronic Feed Measuring System
- Disease-incidence studies
- Head-to-head comparison studies
- Vaccination studies (safety and efficacy)
– Ranch
– Grazing
-Feedlot - Feed additive studies
- Implant studies
- Medication studies
- Ranch origin cattle
- Sale Barn/order buyer cattle
- Controlled exposure BRD stress protocol
- Artificial challenge model IBR/BVD-Pasteurella
- Nasal/tracheal swabs
- Serology
- Microbiology
- Necropsy—gross pathology
- Texas A&M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Amarillo, Texas
- Circle H Laboratories Dalhart, Texas
- Equine Facilities
- Equine facilities have a capacity of 20 horses with room for expansion as needed
- Horses available for microfilaria (Anchocerca,spp) and nematode infection (BLM)
- Jim Simpson of Simpson Nutrition Services provides nutritional consultation
- Available as principal investigator for nutrition studies upon request
- Beef Research Department of West Texas A&M University thru Dr. Ty Lawrence provides beef-carcass evaluation.
– Cost depends upon protocol requirements
– Evaluation includes: - Tag transfer
- Cold carcass scale weights
- Ribeye measurement
- Fat thickness
- In-house grading
- Liver observations
- Computerized records system
- Feedyard accounting system
- Office management system
- Cattle accounting system
- Individual cattle weight system
- Feedtruck fed system
- Data collection network
- Grow Safe Electronic Feed Measuring System
- Laboratory
- Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic
- Laboratory, Amarillo, Texas (12 miles north from Agri Research Center, Inc.)
- Circle H Laboratories Dalhart, Texas
- Designed for evaluating biological products
-Shower and change clothes both into and out of the facility (BSL) - Contamination precaution area
– Provides a clothes-changing area with a natural environment side and a reduced pathogen-free environment side
– Shower area - Separate cattle working and processing area
- Separate unloading area with a 100’ x 100’ holding pen with concrete feed bunks
- Six 20’ x 50’ treatment and/or challenge pens 50’ apart
- Two 20’ x 50’ control pens
- 4-75 head pens for longer-term studies
- Seronegative cattle available seasonally advance notice must be given