Penn State’s Dairy Cattle Research and Education Center, slightly hidden from the public eye across the street from Beaver Stadium, is a beehive of activity. Dairy manager Mark Amsler works with two assistant managers, eight farm technicians, and 15 to 20 undergraduate students. They work in shifts scheduled from 4:30 a.m. until midnight to deliver the 4.8 million pounds of milk—which translates to 558,139 gallons—the center produces every year. Each cow produces an average of 75 to 80 pounds per day. Every animal, from calf to cow, is used in research projects overseen by faculty in dairy and animal science, agronomy, or agricultural engineering. “We have a waiting list into 2002 for animals to use in research projects,” Amsler says. “Eventually, we will probably enlarge the herd to have enough animals to support more projects.”

The dairy complex is a mix of modern and older buildings. A 1950s-era building used as a calf barn houses about 60 young stock in large pens from birth to three months old. Another older building, next to the calf barns, houses laboratories and an area for intensive research on individual animals. A nearby dry cow barn houses about 40 animals that have left the milking herd. They are used to determine how best to feed and manage dairy cattle during the 30- to 60-day dry period between the end of lactation and the start of pregnancy. “During the dry period, the cows are developing ova, so how you feed them directly affects successful reproduction,” Amsler explains.

The dominant building in the dairy complex is a large free-stall barn, which houses 120 animals. A free-stall barn has open stalls along the side walls where cows can pick where they want to stand or sleep, a floor plan designed to give the herd maximum comfort and minimum stress. Erected in 1995, the spacious barn has a wide central alley that allows workers to drive a feeding cart directly through the structure. Individual feeding containers can be used if a group of animals needs customized or experimental rations. The cattle are fed a large ration once a day, although workers return every few hours to push scattered feed back within the animals’ reach. A series of gates allow researchers to separate cattle into groups of 20 or more. The barn has heavy plastic “curtain walls” that can be raised to increase ventilation. “The older buildings were built for worker comfort,” Amsler says. “Our new barns help the animals feel comfortable. It’s colder in these barns, but we can always put on a coat.”

The complex’s De Laval milking parlor can accommodate 20 cows at a time. All milking data is monitored electronically and downloaded to Amsler’s computer. He then uploads data for each cow to a computer server in the dairy and animal science department, so faculty can monitor their research remotely. The milk is piped directly into a 4,000-gallon storage tank, then into a tanker truck to be delivered to the University Creamery.

Another modern free-stall barn holds heifers ranging from 3 to 22 months old. Segregation gates keep older and larger heifers from dominating and stealing feed from their smaller barnmates. “Cows are much smarter than we give them credit for,” Amsler says, laughing. “I’ve seen cows in controlled nutrition studies knock over other cows to eat their ration.”

If researchers seek very precise information on nutrition and other factors, 60 cows from the milking herd can be housed in a tie-stall barn. This small building allows researchers and staff to feed each animal individually while strictly monitoring the animal’s output of urine and manure.

Behind the barns is the feed center building, flanked by five upright silos. In the center, large chute hoses loom over a computerized panel, making the structure look like an enormous gas station. “We provide 10 or 11 different ration mixes from here,” Amsler says. “Workers drive the feed cart right into the building, load up, and feed the animals in minutes.” Just a few steps away, on 150 acres of pasture, researchers test intensive grazing programs and grow various forages. Amsler also coordinates tours for more than 5,000 visitors a year, ranging from kindergarten classes to foreign dignitaries.