Animal Science programs at the University of Nebraska began with the establishment of the Department of Animal Husbandry by the Board of Regents in 1898. This came one year after the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station was created. The first reference to experimental work with livestock was in 1891. The Animal Husbandry staff was housed in two rooms of the south wing of Agriculture Hall until they moved into Animal Husbandry Hall in 1917. The Departments of Dairy Husbandry and Poultry Husbandry were established in 1902 and 1922, respectively. The Loeffel meat Laboratory which encompasses approximately 19,500 square feet of space, was completed and dedicated in 1954. In 1964 the Departments were renamed as Animal Science, Dairy Science and Poultry Science, and three years later the Departments of Animal and Dairy Science were merged. The dairy-processing faculty formed the core for a new Department of Food Science and Technology. Marvel Baker Hall, which included approximately 54,000 square feet of new space, was dedicated in 1969, and housed a portion of the expanding program. Poultry Science joined Animal Science in 1977. The construction of the current Animal Science Building and renovation of the Loeffel Meat Laboratory and Marvel Baker Hall were completed in 1988. The new construction of approximately 186,000 square feet added a covered livestock unit with an arena, an intensive animal use unit, laboratory, classroom and office space. The new building incorporates two former animal science buildings and was dedicated on April 22, 1988. Adjacent to the new building are four livestock holding pens and two pole barns for short-term housing of animals used in teaching or extension programs. One poultry building is also located nearby.