To honor cattle producers who were impacted by Winter Storm Atlas in October, Zoetis on Thursday announced a $100,000 donation toward the construction of the Cow/Calf Education and Research Facility planned at South Dakota State University.
The donation was presented at a producer meeting in Brookings, S.D., and during the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City, S.D.
"In light of the tragedy in South Dakota and the impact the storm had on potential donors, we want to ensure we are doing everything possible to continue to help our customers," said Rob Kelly, vice president, U.S. Cattle and Equine Operations, Zoetis.
"This facility will play an integral role in enhancing educational curricula for students, supporting important studies and improving resources and facilities that will benefit students, faculty, SDSU, cattle producers and, ultimately, the beef industry."
The Cow/Calf Education and Research Facility will offer many amenities to give students hands-on experiences, and it also will better serve the needs of Extension, 4-H, FFA and public and industry groups, Zoetis says. The facility will feature:
• State-of-the-art facilities for cattle-handling demonstrations
• A multipurpose building to house maternity pens and display pens for livestock evaluation
• A research building with equipment to measure feed and water intake by individual animals
• Replicated pastures to provide grazing management research
• Offices, a conference center and laboratory space
"After the devastating storm that impacted so many beef producers in the region, it's our hope that this new facility will be a bright spot that will help the South Dakota beef industry move forward," Kelly said.
Source: Zoetis