West Texas A&M University has begun construction on a $15 million research feedlot and education complex near Nance Ranch designed to advance feed efficiency, beef quality and workforce training. The phased project will include classrooms and an auditorium, 90 ten-head pens, 40 seventy-head pens, a feed mill, animal-processing facilities and advanced robotics and sensor systems. Funded by federal, state and private sources — including a $2.1 million USDA appropriation and major philanthropic and corporate partners — the facility aims to provide hands-on student training, applied research and regional economic benefits.
WTAMU Breaks Ground on $15M Research Feedlot and Education Center to Advance Beef Industry Innovation
West Texas A&M University has begun construction on a $15 million research feedlot and education complex near Nance Ranch designed to advance feed efficiency, beef quality and workforce training. The phased project will include classrooms and an auditorium, 90 ten-head pens, 40 seventy-head pens, a feed mill, animal-processing facilities and advanced robotics and sensor systems. Funded by federal, state and private sources — including a $2.1 million USDA appropriation and major philanthropic and corporate partners — the facility aims to provide hands-on student training, applied research and regional economic benefits.
03:48 AM, 11/11/2025Economy
WTAMU breaks ground on $15 million research feedlot and education center
CANYON — On a cold, blustery morning at Nance Ranch, university leaders, industry partners and local officials gathered as West Texas A&M University ceremonially broke ground on a $15 million research feedlot and education complex that university President Walter V. Wendler called “a powerful symbol of unity” across education, agriculture and government in the Texas Panhandle.
Project scope and facilities
The combined development — the WTAMU Foundation Research Feedlot and the Paul F. and Virginia J. Engler Foundation Feedlot Education Facility — will be built southwest of the university’s existing feedlot near Nance Ranch. Planned features include an education center with classroom and small auditorium, 90 ten-head pens, 40 seventy-head pens, a modern feed mill and animal-processing facility, and advanced monitoring and feed-delivery technology.
Funding and partners
The $15 million project is financed through a mix of federal, state and private investments. The education facility received a $2.1 million USDA appropriation supported by U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, and university officials have requested additional federal funds in the current agricultural appropriations bill. Private and philanthropic supporters include the Engler Foundation, Champion Feeders, Merck Animal Health, Kuhlman & Sons LLP, Dean Cluck Feedyard, Farm Credit and numerous individual donors.
“This project is a bonding process for West Texas,” Wendler said, holding his notes against the wind. “We’ve got industry, educators, business leaders and government officials — every part of the matrix that makes a region work — engaged in this feedlot.”
Technology, education and workforce development
Dr. Kevin Pond, dean of the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, described the complex as “the feed yard of the future,” designed with robotics, automated systems, autonomous vehicles and sensor networks to detect early signs of illness or stress. Real-time data collection and automation aim to improve feed efficiency, animal health and beef quality.
When fully operational, about 25 students are expected to work on-site full time, with many more participating through classes, internships and research projects. The education center will include cameras linked to classroom screens so students can remotely observe animal behavior and handling procedures before engaging directly — reducing animal disturbance while providing realistic training.
Regional impact and research role
University leaders say the feedlot will strengthen the fed-beef industry, create jobs and reinforce WTAMU’s mission as a regionally responsive research university. Dr. Angela Spaulding, vice president for research and compliance, emphasized that the project elevates WTAMU’s profile as a Carnegie-classified research institution and further integrates applied research with local economic needs.
The new facility builds on WTAMU’s growing research ecosystem, including the Caviness Meat Science and Innovation Center, the VERO veterinary education program and the Agricultural Sciences Complex. Officials describe the feedlot as a bridge between classroom learning and real-world industry practice, preparing students for a technology-driven, sustainable future in agriculture.
Construction on the education center is slated to begin this winter, with the feedlot phase planned to follow in 2026. WTAMU officials say the project will proceed in phases as funding and site preparations continue.
Key partners and supporters: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Engler Foundation, Champion Feeders, Merck Animal Health, Kuhlman & Sons LLP, Dean Cluck Feedyard, Farm Credit, WTAMU Foundation and multiple private donors.