The long-awaited expansion of the University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center, made possible through an $8.5-million appropriation from the Kentucky General Assembly this spring, is about to begin and could be completed in about two years, officials said.

The center, located in Lexington, was quite active during mare reproductive loss syndrome in the spring of 2001; so active, in fact, that horse industry officials put out a call for assistance. The Kentucky Thoroughbred Association made the LDDC a legislative priority, and this year, lawmakers responded.

Lenn Harrison, VMD, director of the LDDC, told the Kentucky Interim Joint Subcommittee on Horse Farming July 13 the funds would be used to build a necropsy laboratory adjacent to the existing facility. It will include “digesters” that will dispose of carcasses, he said.

“We handle by far the largest volume of dead-animal carcasses in the country,” Harrison said. “Rendering has become less and less an accepted route, so we’re going to put in digesters. (Carcasses) are digested down to just basic elements, and it goes into the sewer system. It’s environmentally very acceptable