New livestock disease center opens at ISU

A livestock disease research center is being dedicated today at Iowa StateUniversity. Richard Ross, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, saysI-S-U has been one of the world’s major players in this field for the pastcentury.Ross says the six-and-a-quarter million dollar facility will help I-S-Uregain its status as the nation’s leader in livestock disease research.He says one disease that deserves more study is called “purrs,” whichstands for porcine respiratory reproductive syndrome.Dean Ross says hogs won’t be the only focus of disease research as therewill be work done on cattle and poultry.The Livestock Infectious Disease Isolation Facility will be dedicated in aceremony at 4:30 this afternoon. Speakers include Iowa Ag Secretary PattyJudge, Iowa House Speaker Brent Siegrist and I-S-U President Martin Jischke.