COLLEGE OF APPLIED & NATURAL SCIENCES

Tech Farm & Labs

Anatomy Teaching Laboratory

The Anatomy Teaching Laboratory plays host to the lab portion of the Anatomy and Physiology course. The lab features more than 30 skeletons of domestic and wildlife species, and Louisiana Tech University students assembled many of these skeletons. This collection continues to grow in number and diversity. In addition to the skeleton collection, the lab features microscopes for histology research and study.

Arboretum

The 50-acre Louisiana Tech University Arboretum is located on the South Campus of the Louisiana Tech University. It is used by the university’s School of Forestry as a research facility.

Beef Unit

Ten acres – split between Louisiana Tech University’s South Campus and Simsboro unit – make up the Tech Farm Beef Unit. The school’s herd is comprised of registered and commercial Angus and Hereford cows and bulls, along with registered Brahman bulls. The farm produces replacement purebred Angus and Hereford heifers, F1 Brahman-Angus heifers, F1 Hereford-Angus heifers, and market calves to be sold at the annual Tech Farm Production Sale or privately. Each year, about 15 steers are raised to market weight, processed, and then sold in the Tech Farm Salesroom.

The cattle serve as both a teaching and research herd. Animal Science courses like Meat and Carcass Evaluation, Introduction to Livestock Management, Beef Production, and Veterinary Techniques are a few of the courses that use the unit as a teaching tool.

Recent graduate and undergraduate research projects that utilize the beef herd have focused on a correlation between eye pigmentation and the incidence of eye cancer in white-faced cattle, stress and calf performance during weaning when utilizing nose flaps, and the interaction between weaning method and temperament in beef calves.

Equine Center

Tech Farm’s Equine Center is home to about 20 stock-type horses of all ages. The 43-acre facility, located on the South Campus, is composed of a 16-stall training barn, lighted arena with covered stands, and small and large round pens for ground-work training. Courses like Introduction to Equine Science, Introduction to Horsemanship, and Horse Behavior and Training are frequently held in the Equine Center. In addition to the classes, graduate and undergraduate students use the horses and facilities for research projects to enhance equine production and management.

Greenhouses

Constructed in 1982, the Louisiana Tech University Greenhouses feature 26 growing rooms that encompass about 20,000 square feet of growing space and head house area. The facility offers the opportunity to learn about horticultural production in an operational setting. One full-time Greenhouse Laboratory Supervisor and one Assistant Greenhouse Laboratory Supervisor manage the day-to-day greenhouse operations. They bring many years of horticultural experience and advocacy to the greenhouses and the plant science program. A crew of student employees works throughout the year, ensuring these students receive practical experience along with their classroom study.

The Greenhouses are well known throughout the region for growing a beautiful crop of poinsettias each year. In addition, thousands of seasonal vegetables, annual and perennial beddings plants, herbs and selective woody plants are grown from seed or cuttings in the greenhouse. An outside container nursery area with two hoop houses and another freestanding greenhouse are located adjacent to the main greenhouse. These facilities are used to grow perennials, shrubs, and trees for propagation stock, research trials, and student projects.

The Greenhouses are designed to educate not only Tech students, but also members of the community. Those with a vested interest in learning about plants can stop by and learn more about seed germination, fertilization, pest control, and basic greenhouse operation.

The Tech Greenhouses are open to visitors and volunteers. To find out more information or schedule a tour, call 318.257.2918.

John D. Griffin Horticultural Garden

The John D. Griffin Horticultural Garden and Ponds is located between Reese Hall and Lomax Hall on Louisiana Tech’s South Campus. Since 1985, the garden has been used to teach students the identification and use of landscape plants, landscape design implementation, and the building and utilization of hardscapes and artistic structures.

The garden is also open to the public and is often frequented by photographers and plant enthusiasts throughout the year.

The garden stretches over one acre with the ponds on the east side. There are over 1,000 feet of paved walkways around and throughout the garden, along with two small wooden bridges that cross an ephemeral stream that flows into the ponds.

Presently, the garden is home to over 200 different species of woody and herbaceous plants.

Meat Science Laboratory

Tech Farm features a state-inspected Meat Science Laboratory designed to teach students through the harvest and processing of cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. The Lab processes animals from Tech Farm as well as for customers throughout Louisiana. Many of the products produced by Tech Farm and processed in the Meat Lab are available for purchase in the Tech Farm Salesroom.

While a large component of the facility is for retail production, many courses are taught in the Lab, including Meat Science, Meat Animal and Carcass Evaluation, Introduction to Poultry Science, and Introduction to Livestock Management. Managers and student workers at the Meat Science Lab also often provide and prepare food for events for the College of Natural and Applied Sciences.

Nutrition and Physiology Laboratory

The Nutrition and Physiology Laboratory (NPL) enhances teaching and research in the School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry. There, undergraduate and graduate students have opportunities for visual and problem-based learning while being exposed to concepts taught in the classroom.

Undergraduate research:

• Coconut Oil as a Treatment for Thrush – Alison Perregrino and Dr. Laura Gentry
• Turmeric as a Treatment for Osteoarthritis in Horses – Savannah Radke, Samantha Luttrell, and Dr. Laura Gentry
• Utilizing Regano for Internal Parasite Control and Increased Feed Efficiency in Organic Lamb Production – Alora Baker, Kelli Lucas, Dylan Mooney, Madeline Rabalais, and Dr. Ashley Keith
• Exploring the Benefits of Adding Regano to the Diet of Nursery Pigs – Kristin Schof, Dr. Mark Murphey, and Dr. Ashley Keith

Graduate research:

• Effects of Intramuscular Dexamethasone on the Retention of Dominant Follicles in Cyclic Mares – Katie Jo Kitchings and Dr. Laura Gentry
• Effects of Using Fatty Acids in Combination with Furosemide on Exercise-induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage in Horses – Amy McKithern and Dr. Laura Gentry
• HERDA in Horses: Effects on Kidney Elasticity – Cassandra Stutz and Dr. Laura Gentry
• Assessing the Interactions between Calf Temperament and Weaning Method on Calf Performance

Spatial Technology Laboratory

Many classes for the Geographic Information Science (GISc) program are held in the Spatial Technology Laboratory. Research in this lab is designed to increase students’ understanding, analyzing, and applying the spatial relationship among human and physical features. In addition, the lab helps students of GISc learn how to use computer software programs that identify the interactions that transpire between humans and the physical environment based on location. They also learn how to analyze those interactions, and to use that information to assist with public and private sector management, administration and planning.

Tech Farm Salesroom

Tech Farm has been selling its products to the general public since 1977. We strive to provide our customers with quality products and friendly service. All products offered at Tech Farm are produced and processed by the Department of Agricultural Sciences at Louisiana Tech University.

The store is located at 1306 Clark Drive in Ruston and is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 318.257.3550