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Home Farm

If you're lucky enough to get the chance to study on our beautiful Brackenhurst Campus you'll find it, literally, a breath of fresh air! And not only is it home to our School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences (ARES) - it's also a 200-hectare estate working farm.

Facility tour

 
Students working on a tractor at Brackenhurst Campus

Precision farming systems

We have a machinery pool with advanced tractors, fitted with modern self-steering equipment to develop you machinery knowledge and general use of modern systems. Our modern equipment has the latest technology for crop establishment and nutrition.

Advanced sensors are used to develop your skills in agronomy, soil management and how to apply advanced surveillance techniques.

Student feeding Lincoln Red Cattle at the roundhouse on Brackenhurst Campus

Roundhouse

Our specialist cattle roundhouse houses a herd of award-winning Lincoln Red Cattle and it can be used for animal observations and to develop your handling skills of larger breeds.

Farm at Brackenhurst

Cropping and grassland areas

Our crop rotation is designed to maximise wheat by using a range of break crops – oilseeds, lucerne, legumes, grass and conservation crops. Our permanent pasture areas are also used for our flying flock of Rouge cross Beltex sheep.

Glasshouse complex plant monitoring

Glasshouse complex

We have a suite of modern greenhouses with automatic climate control which are used for student, academic and commercial research.

Student looking at crops in vertical farming unit

Vertical Farming Unit

This Vertical Farming Unit is a modern-day approach to agricultural practises. The Unit is used for staff and student research projects and examines new methods to produce sustainably sourced food.

Student analysing food in lab

Poultry Research Unit

Our Poultry Unit encompasses a dedicated suite of buildings including a 48-pen bird room, sampling and analytical laboratories, a feed manufacture room and secure feed storage areas; with the office of the unit manager at its centre.

Image gallery

Take a virtual tour