Animal Sciences Building

Address

1675 Observatory Dr
Madison, WI 53706

Background

Offices and laboratories for Dairy Science faculty and staff are located in the Animal Sciences Building, 1675 Observatory Drive. Student reference rooms, study areas, and classrooms are also located in the building. The building houses the Dairy Science Department, the Animal Sciences Department, the Center for Dairy Profitability, and the College Computing Facility.

For general information call: (608) 263-3308.

Dairy Cattle Center

Address 

1815 West Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Background

The campus Dairy Cattle Center is used for both teaching and research, and is located just one block away from the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. The Dairy Cattle Center houses 84 milking cows in a tie-stall barn. There is a classroom attached to the facility, which allows students to have hands on access to cows during all lab practical sessions.

The facility also employs students, providing them with a convenient opportunity to gain practical experience and earn some income while attending classes. 

Livestock Lab

Address

1810 Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Background

The livestock laboratory complements the existing classroom and laboratory activities in the Animal Sciences building and was designed to support teaching and research activities involving cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. This building enables faculty to give students contact with animals and facilitates experimentation which requires animals to be in close proximity to the analytical equipment located in the Animal Sciences building. Unique characteristics of this building include research rooms for livestock species, a surgery room, a neonatal pig room and a flush system for movement of animal wastes. This space has been designed to accommodate multiple species, while satisfying federal requirements for care of livestock used in teaching and research. 

Meat Science & Muscle Biologics Discovery Building

Address

1933 Observatory Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Background

The newly constructed Meat Science & Animal Biologics Discovery (MSABD) building was constructed to serve as a hub for problem-solvers looking to improve the meat industry, animal and human health, agriculture, the environment, and overall quality of life in Wisconsin, the U.S., and beyond. 

In this facility, faculty and staff seek to develop the next generation of meat industry leaders, discover new medicinal uses for non-food animal components, serve as a resource for the meat industry and provide objective expertise about food derived from animals. They also deliver consumer education while offering wholesome meat products to the campus and surrounding communities through the retail store. MSABD leverages the wealth of multidisciplinary expertise found across the UW-Madison campus, from food research and veterinary medicine to pharmacy and public health. 

To schedule a visit or inquire about collaboration interests, please contact the MSABD Director at 608-263-2504.

University of Wisconsin Dairy Barn

Address

1915 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706

Background

The University of Wisconsin’s Old Dairy Barn is the only barn designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service

Designed by architect J.T.W. Jennings, its dates of construction were: 1897-1898, 1909, 1916-1917, between 1942 and 1955. The Dairy Barn is located in the agricultural section of the University of Wisconsin campus. The building was constructed as a result of lobbying by the dean of agriculture, William Henry. Chicago architect J.T.W. Jennings designed the exterior. The interior layout was left to the members of the faculty and staff, including Franklin Hiram King, whose developments of farm building ventilation and the use of the tower silo have become standard practice in agricultural design.

The building was erected in three sections. The main part, designed by Jennings to recall historic barns in Normandy, was built in 1897-1898. Decorative features still extant include half-timbering, decorative brickwork and a heavily bracketed entrance porch. Other features, including cupolas, dormer windows and assorted trim, have been lost over time. This section consists of the main barn and silo, two livestock barns set perpendicular to and attached to the rear of the main barn, and a classroom/stock-judging arena between the two livestock barns. Several additions were added later.

In addition to its use as a teaching facility for Wisconsin dairy farmers, the Dairy Barn was the site of significant scientific experiments. The most important was the “single-grain experiment.” Carried out from 1907 to 1911, this cattle-feeding study overturned the prevailing model of evaluating the nutritional value of foods and laid the foundation for the modern science of nutrition. Other practical scientific techniques were researched, tested and/or taught at the barn; these included identifying cattle for selective breedingand the tracking of cattle pedigrees. Other breeding advances came through developments in the science of artificial insemination. The most important health-related application was the demonstration and teaching of testing techniques for bovine tuberculosis, which led to the eradication of the disease in Wisconsin. Other important advances included an improved test for Brucellosis, a diagnostic test for Johnes disease and measures to control it, and the discovery of the causes of milk fever. These developments were instrumental to Wisconsin’s rapid adoption of dairy farming in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which resulted in its reputation as America’s dairyland.

Poultry Unit

Address

1925 Observatory Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Background

The Poultry Research Laboratory is located just one block away from the Animal Sciences Building and generally houses chickens and a small number of ducks and pheasants. In addition to the animal housing facilities, the building also hosts a classroom, incubation room and feed mixing room.

The animal rooms provide various means of confinement poultry rearing. These include floor pen rearing, an alternative design battery brooder room for chicks and an isolation room for chick rearing. These different poultry rearing means are for both broilers and laying hens.

Stock Pavilion

Address

1675 Linden Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53706

Background

Historically, the Stock Pavilion was used to accommodate the large attendance at Farmer’s Course, livestock judging and demonstrations. It consists of a main arena, which can accommodate 2,000 people, stalls for livestock and storage for farm machinery and grain. 

Currently, the Stock Pavilion is used for educational purposes and to host events. The building is a landmark for agriculture and education at the University. 

To schedule an event in the Stock Pavilion, please email andysci-vm@ansci.wisc.edu. Application for use of the Stock Pavilion must be received at least two weeks prior to anticipated use. Please read Special Health Information For Animal-Use Facility Visitors before using the facility.