McNeese State University

Bill Fuller of Kinder has donated more than 700 acres of farm land in Allen Parish to the McNeese State University Foundation. The land will be used for teaching and research by the Harold and Pearl Dripps Department of Agricultural Sciences at McNeese. From left seated are: Claire Sorkow, president of the McNeese Foundation, and Judy and Bill Fuller, and standing from left are McNeese President Robert Hebert and Dr. Frederick LeMieux, head of the agricultural sciences department. McNeese Photo

Everyone told Bill Fuller that he couldn't successfully grow corn on his farm near Kinder. The Indiana native developed a way to grow corn on his farm and now produces corn silage, a high quality cattle feed. "It started as a hobby," Fuller said. "I was in the lumber business but I knew I could find a way to grow corn in Allen Parish."

Fuller, who calls himself a "practical engineer," didn't impress the local county agent until he had 25 bushels of corn growing on his Allen Parish farm. "He told me you aren't supposed to raise corn in Allen Parish!"

Now Fuller is working with McNeese State University agricultural sciences professors and students and is teaching them about his successful corn silage cattle feed business. Fuller has donated his 90-acre farm near Kinder to McNeese to be used for teaching and research and he has partnered with McNeese to use his 800-acre cattle operation to build a heifer enhancement and development program.

"This is a one of a kind program in Louisiana," Dr. Frederick LeMieux, head of the Harold and Pearl Dripps Department of Agricultural Sciences, said. "This program is designed to help local cattle producers improve the quality of their herd and maximize their cattle operation potential."

Using trial and error, technology and patience, Fuller has developed a product that cattlemen and McNeese researchers are very interested in. "Feeding cattle corn silage can maximize growth and it is affordable," LeMieux said.

"Mr. Fuller had a cattle feedlot in Indiana. He built a feedlot at the farm and we are using it in our research and teaching," LeMieux added. Heifers are provided a complete ration along with free-choice corn silage. McNeese researchers measure the daily weight gains of the heifers.

"We will measure the growth performance, body composition, conformation and other data that will assist the cattle producers in selecting the highest quality females. Decisions concerning replacement heifers can affect profitability for several years," LeMieux explained.

Heifers are accepted into the program on a consignment basis. The McNeese program relieves the owner from providing valuable space, diets and time. Fuller uses his own equipment and machinery to cultivate the corn silage product. Each specially designed bag holds 130 tons of silage. Fuller grows enough corn to produce eight, 130-ton bags on 100 acres. That supply is good for two years, he said.

"Eventually we want to breed the heifers before they leave the development program. We will have the facilities and technicians to breed cattle at the Fuller Farm," LeMieux said.

Dr. Bill Storer, McNeese assistant professor and research scientist, is assigned full-time to the Fuller Farm to conduct research and work with the student interns.

Students are already benefiting from the partnership between Fuller and McNeese, LeMieux said. "Last summer we had four interns working at the farm, learning about the cattle business and doing hands-on work."

LeMieux says the McNeese connection also allows for more research on the effect of the silage on the cattle. "We are studying how to increase the volume of the silage and further developing it by adding an enzyme to a test lot."

"I had a desire to work with McNeese and I have been really impressed with folks," Fuller said. "Education is a tremendous thing and so is practical knowledge. We can show the students how this business works and I think we can develop this program a lot further."

Fuller has also donated his Soileau Farm to McNeese. The 650-acre farm is used to grow corn and soybeans and will continue to be a working farm for the McNeese agricultural sciences classes.

"This is a unique opportunity for the agricultural sciences majors that work at the Fuller Farms. They learn how to work the cattle and see the agriculture business first hand from crop planting to harvesting. They are learning all phases of cattle production," LeMieux said.

"McNeese has students that want to make a career in farming and the cattle business. They also have students that want to make a career in research that benefits farmers and cattle producers. Hands-on experiences are important education tools for all students," Fuller said.