These colleges are taking a “Jack and the Beanstalk” strategy to cutting costs. Here’s how it will help. 

Agricultural schools like the University of Vermont are selling off their cows to private farms, hoping to save the money spent on feed, fuel and upkeep to maintain the herds and their facilities. These costs have been increasing faster than the price of milk (which some schools sell off to offset costs) or state funding.

There’s also the matter of where to keep the herds. Schools such as the University of Kentucky (which is also reducing its herd) have run out of room to spread manure, while other, less costly agriculture programs expand.

The private farmers who take on UV’s cows would be paid $20,000 a year for three years, while researchers would have access to more cows and more modern facilities.

While selling the herds may sound like a sad day for animal science programs, schools that have made the leap have reaped lots of benefits:

Rutgers University combined its heard with one at the University of Delaware eight years ago. Since then, they’ve enjoyed a more modern dairy facility and space to raise their cows’ offspring, which they can use to study their behavior, bedding and nutrition. All that’s in addition to the main benefit: breaking even on costs.

How is your school trying to cut costs? Let us know in the comments section.

Tags: agricultural colleges, cost-cutting measures, Rutgers University, University of Delaware, University of Kentucky, University of Vermont