MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – It’s official, the diary cows at the Stewartstown Road WVU farm will be finding a new home.
Interim Dean of the Davis College of Agriculture Ken Blemings says it really came down to cost.
Blemings said,”We have conservatively estimated we spend about $250,000 on the milking cows and we recceive about $100,000 in income from them, so we lose around $100,000-a-year approximately.”
There are 40 cows on the farm that are valued at about $32,000.
Democrat state senator from Morgantown Bob Beach said,”Dairy important to every farmer across the state, we all know there’s a need for it. But, the reality is it’s an expensive program and sometimes you jusy have to look at it in a very harsh light and make the changes where needed.”
Blemings said dairy education will continue at the Davis College of Agriculture, but they will no longer milk cows at the Stewartstown Road farm.
Blemings said the university plans to invest in an already strong dairy heifer management program and a milk production class that uses tours to other dairies as part of the curriculum.
Blemings said the university will continue to use the Stewartstown Road farm will continue to be used for research and teaching efforts.
Blemings said,”We will continue to use it as we currently do for poultry research and classwork and for sheep research and classwork and for beef cattle research and classwork.”