University of Connecticut
Animal Science Facilities at UConn
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University of ConnecticutAnimal Science Facilities at UConn |
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The Department of Animal Science at the University of Connecticut is fortunate to have all of its teaching and animal facilities within walking distance of campus. The department maintains teaching/research units for beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses, poultry, sheep and swine. An indoor arena, with seating for 500 people, is available for both teaching and extracurricular activities. Teaching and research are carried out in several modern laboratories including a meats and food products laboratory and a dairy processing plant. |
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George C. White Building
The George C. White building houses the Animal Science Department and the famous UConn Dairy Bar. The building contains a "high tech" classroom, teaching laboratory, dairy processing laboratory, research laboratories, offices, conference rooms, computer studies room and library. It is used for undergraduate teaching, graduate and undergraduate research, faculty and staff offices and as a meeting place for student clubs in Animal Science.
Meat Science and Food Products Laboratories
The Meat Science and Food Products Laboratory is located in the Ratcliffe Hicks building adjacent to the George C. White building. The Meat Science Laboratory is used primarily in the manufacturing of processed meat products. Equipment includes grinders, bowl choppers, mixers, steam-jacketed kettles, sausage stuffers, walk-in coolers and freezers, 10-needle cure injectors, smokehouse, and vacuum packager. Immediately adjacent to this is a general kitchen/preparation area, and a 6-unit sensory panel. Sensory assessment of various food products is carried out as part of teaching and research programs within the department.
Equine Facilities
The equine facilities at the University reflect the considerable interest shown in horses by the people of Connecticut. We currently maintain approximately 85 horses in the Department of Animal Science and specialize in the breeding of Morgans. Current facilities include:
The primary bloodlines in today's UConn Morgan Herd are based upon horses initially obtained from the United States Morgan Breeding Farm in the 1930s. The Horse Unit currently breeds seven to ten mares each year to produce enough foals to support its teaching and research programs.
Uconn Morgans are shown and exhibited by our staff and students in many of the major Morgan Breed Shows, and have won many local, national and world championships.
Ratcliffe Hicks Arena
The Ratcliffe Hicks Arena is a heated, indoor facility (60' x 120') that is located close to the George C. White Building. It seats up to 500 spectators, and is used both for teaching and staging a number of extramural activities.
Horsebarn Hill Arena
The Horsebarn Hill Arena was completed in 2001, and is located next to the Equine facilities on Horsebarn Hill Road. It serves as a venue for equine science classes, equitation and polo events, club activities, and the Little International Livestock and Horse Show.
Kellogg Dairy Center
The Kellogg Dairy Center (KDC) is a modern free-stall facility capable of accommodating 100 milking animals (Holstein and Jersey). Cows are milked 3 times daily in a double four herringbone parlor that utilizes computerized cow identification and milk weight recording equipment. Computerized feeders are also used to ensure that each cow receives sufficient nutrients to maintain our current DHIA rolling herd averages of approximately 28,000 lbs. for the Holsteins and approximately 19,000 lbs. for the Jerseys.
In addition, the KDC contains housing for experimental animals, a classroom, laboratory, surgical unit, and recovery room. There is an observation area where the public can watch milking in progress. Dorm rooms are available for students who work 10 hours a week in lieu of paying rent. This is an excellent opportunity for students to be exposed to all aspects of dairy management.
Cattle Resource Unit
The Cattle Resource Unit (CRU) was completed in 1999 and is located on Horsebarn Hill Road just north of the Swine Facility. It houses replacement heifers for the KDC and is utilized by the department's teaching, research, and extension programs. A small laboratory is present and enables researchers to collect and store samples prior to subsequent analysis.
Livestock Unit
The Animal Science Department has teaching, research and demonstration facilities for 60 Angus and Hereford beef cows, 80 Dorset, Shropshire, Southdown and Crossbred ewes and 100 swine.
Students are responsible for preparing and exhibiting beef cattle and sheep in shows and sales. In recent years, UConn beef cattle have competed strongly in regional and national shows. In addition, they have built a solid reputation when consigned to the New England Angus and Hereford sales; New York and Cow Power Angus sales, and the New England Sheep sale.
The livestock are heavily used in teaching and student hands-on activities.
Poultry Unit
The UConn Poultry Unit provides students the opportunity to study and work with egg layers, broilers, breeders, fancy fowl, guinea hens and other avian species. The buildings house up to 3,000 birds that can be used to brood and rear chicks, grow out young birds, and to house egg layers or meat birds. In the Poultry Resource Unit, opened in 2005, special pens are used for mating specific breeds of chickens for genetic research as well as to test for production qualities. The birds at the farm are used for research, fertile egg production, class work, and club work. Work study, student labor, and internships are available for students interested in gaining experience at the unit.
Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory
The Agricultural Biotechnology Laboratory building (ABL) is adjacent to the George White building and houses faculty and graduate students from the Department of Animal Science. This state-of-the-art facility provides undergraduate students with the opportunity for research experiences as Independent Studies, or as paid employees within different laboratories.
Computer Laboratory
A modern, well-equipped computer lab, containing 16 computers, is located in the Ratcliffe Hicks building less than 100 yards from the Department of Animal Science. This facility is used for teaching and is available to all undergraduate students registered in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.