Maximising dairy cow welfare, nutrition, housing and sustainable livestock systems, our Midlands Dairy Research Centre’s facilities enable scientists, the dairy industry and agri-engineering companies to research and develop the next generation of dairy housing and management.
The forefront of cow behaviour, welfare and adaptable housing
The majority of UK dairy cows graze outdoors during the summer and are housed inside during the winter months with some staying indoors throughout the year. Reducing infertility and injury, cow choice not only improves wellbeing, but also sustainably increases milk yield, so, it is vitally important to understand more about indoor animal health, behaviour and welfare.
A highly adaptable space to enable cow behaviour research, our Midlands Dairy Research Centre allows cows access to a variety of lying areas and preferred surfaces, with the ability to precisely track movement, nutrition and milk yield. These cutting-edge facilities offer a wealth of research and development opportunities, delivering:
“Our collaboration with Agri-EPI, and specifically the Midlands Dairy Research Centre on the Harper Adams University campus, is affording us the opportunity to conduct high quality, commercially relevant, forward thinking, research with a great team.”
To improve cow care through self-determined resting and nutrition, increasing the efficiency and sustainability of milk production, our Midlands Dairy Research Centre is a joint venture with Harper Adams University, a founding partner and one of the UK’s most prestigious agricultural universities. Based next to the University’s dairy farm on the Newport campus in Shropshire, our Centre represents a substantial expansion of Harper Adam’s capabilities.
Cow motivation to access open and indoor lying areas and preferred surfaces. Cow calf extension time and systems. Cow tracking system to precisely locate and track cow movement within the building to support nutrition and wellbeing.
If you are interested in a research collaboration with the Midlands Dairy Research Centre, or any aspect of our agri-research, development and UK-wide facilities, we’ll be delighted to talk to you.
This world class Research Centre, that focuses on the use of next generation dairy technology to understand dairy cow behaviour and welfare, is developed by Agri-EPI in partnership with and managed by Harper Adams University.
“… the amount of space the cows have for lying down/getting up are two key factors to consider when managing dairy herds for optimal cow lying comfort.”
“… cows will lie down for up to 12 – 14 hours a day if they have access to a comfortable bed, and long lying times are associated with reduced stress, improved foot health and increased milk yields.”
We are grateful for the support of our technology partners as we develop this facility, including:
Registered office: Agri-EPI Centre Midlands Agri-Tech Innovation Hub, Poultry Lane, Edgmond Newport, England, TF10 8JZ
Company Reg. Number: 09922991
VAT Number: 240019456 (UK)