College Farm

Harper Adams students have the unique advantage of being able to practise 'in the field' on our own commercial College Farm. The farm, which has been undergoing a multi-million pound development, including expanded dairy, pig and poultry units and an exciting new food research centre, extends to more than 550 hectares (with further expansion being planned) on a number of diverse sites and features a variety of livestock.

The £2 million leading-edge Dairy Unit, which serves 400 cows, incorporates a 40 point internal rotary milking parlour and has a computerised system for identifying cow and milk yields. The farm not only demonstrates sound commercial practice and seeks to innovate and develop but also provides an excellent resource for teaching.

Soil types vary from a light sandy loam to heavy clay loam and so provide a valuable range of soil conditions for teaching and research. Generally, a three-year rotation aimed at maximising first wheat is practised. This is made possible by the range of break crops on the farm - grass, maize, lucerne, oilseeds and stewardship crops. A significant proportion of the cereal crop is also processed for use by the dairy herd.

Water for irrigation is supplied from a reservoir and borehole via a ring main to self-propelled irrigators. Farm equipment is typical of that on a modern mixed farm.

All major animal enterprises are present on the farm, with 400 dairy cows and 100 followers, two sheep flocks demonstrating different management systems, both intensive and extensive beef units and a large-scale commercial egg enterprise. The recently expanded poultry unit now houses more than 7,500 free range birds. The pig unit has accommodation for 230 sows and new sow and farrowing houses. There are also facilities for coarse fishing on the estate's own fishery.

Manure and slurry from the livestock enterprises are returned to the land, greatly reducing the amount of fertiliser required. Up to 24 hectares of the grass and arable areas are devoted to staff and student research projects and National Institute of Agricultural Botany variety trials. The production units demonstrate good practice and provide physical and financial data for appraisal work by students. Availability of data is vital to commercial management.

The animal enterprises also provide the resources for staff research, postgraduate and commercial trials and undergraduate projects. Data and associated information from the farm is stored on the virtual farm website, giving students access to detailed records of production, marketing and financial activities and estate enterprises. Updated regularly, you will always have reliable, topical information to work with.

Detailed weather records from our meteorological station also provide support for research. The farm employs staff to help with student projects, and basic training in practical livestock skills.