Livestock and Farm Resources, North Wyke

ABOUT

The North Wyke farm extends to 355 ha, predominantly on poorly drained clay soils typical of many of the livestock farming dominated areas of Western Britian. The land lies between 120m and 240m above sea level and receives an average of 1050mm of rainfall per year. The farm hosts multiple long and short-term research projects and maintains a diversity of land use types to help facilitate future experimental demands, including a range of improved and semi-improved grasslands, herbal leys, arable, silvopastures as well as 40ha of mature woodland.

The multidisciplinary research farm team includes the expertise and machinery to manage a large mixed farm, alongside the technical staff and specialist equipment to run field and animal trails, as well as maintain our extensive in-situ sensor networks.

The farm is home to a flock of 300 Exlana ewes and a 140-head Stabiliser beef suckler herd, breeding cattle and sheep that are utilised across many research projects. All livestock are housed over winter and the state-of-the-art housing and handling facilities provide the perfect facility for livestock research, including the state-of-the-art Orr Small Ruminant Facility. Rothamsted is a partner in CIEL – the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock. Our facilities are available to use by industry partners through our membership of CIEL.

Rothamsted North Wyke holds an Establishment license under the Animals Scientific Procedures Act (ASPA), allowing regulated procedures to be conducted on livestock for scientific purposes. Typically, these procedures are mild, such as blood sampling or attaching instruments to monitor GHG emissions, allowing our researchers to study the flow of nutrients from soils, through to plant and animals and the losses to the atmosphere and water courses. Rothamsted is a signatory to the Concordat on Openness on animal research in the UK and is committed to enhance its communication around the use of animals in its research.  Our policy on the use of animals can be found here.

CONTACT LIVESTOCK AND FARM RESOURCES

To find out more about our facilities please contact bruce.griffith@rothamsted.ac.uk

Rothamsted Livestock & Farm Resources
Rothamsted Research
North Wyke
Devon
EX20 2SB

Tel: +44 1837 512 313
Email: bruce.griffith@rothamsted.ac.uk