Murray State Swine
History
In 2012, Presidential Fellow Scholar and Pre-Veterinary Medicine student, Claire Crocker, along with her mentor, Dr. Bill Dewees began a project to revitalize the MSU Swine Lab. Claire’s vision was to create a student laboratory experience while also making a positive youth and community impact through selling show pigs as projects for local 4-H and FFA students.
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Along with Claire, several agriculture students worked tirelessly to renovate the North Farm's former Boar Test Station, transforming it into a farrowing room. Through the hard work of many students, and under the direction of Matt Shultz, the swine operation has since grown into a comprehensive show pig and pork production operation.
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Subsequent major initiatives have included the addition of a modern farrowing facility in 2015 that was designed and proposed by students in the AGR 426 Swine Production Class, a conversion of the Boar Test Station into a sale barn in 2015 led by student volunteers, creation of the “Racer Pork” label and meat sales initiative by students in the AGR 444 Livestock Marketing class of 2017, and the renovation of a boar stud facility on the West Farm by students in 2018. Our most recent project was a modern wean to finish building that was constructed and donated entirely by Tosh Farms in 2021.
Mission
Our mission is to provide Murray State students hands-on swine operation and leadership experience while producing and marketing exceptional show pigs and genetics for youth exhibitors across the country.
Aligning with our mission, we have a fully student-operated swine teaching farm. The farm is operated as a joint venture between students in the AGR 426 “Experience in Swine Production” course and the AGR 444 “Livestock Management & Marketing” course. Students enrolled in these courses provide the intermediate and long-term vision and planning for the farm as well as assist with short-term farm operation, livestock promotion, and management of our many sales.
The pigs and pork produced and sold from our farm are the result of planning, breeding, farrowing, and feeding performed by Murray State students. When you see Murray State exhibiting pigs at national or state shows and sales, the student driving that hog, not an instructor or farm manager, did the work to get it there every step of the way. When you buy pork or pigs from our operation, you are supporting our students as they engage in those endeavors.
