Harper Adams University Future Farm main dairy production data 2020

Future Farm, Dairy, Research, Teaching, Global Farm Platform, Regression, ANOVA, multivariate

The Harper Adams University Future Farm Main Dairy Unit operates commercially as a platform for teaching and research, accommodating 400 cows milked in a 40-point GEA rotary parlour with automated cow identification, recording milk yields, and monitoring activity for oestrus detection. The target yield is 10,000 litres per cow annually, achieved with thrice-daily milking. The internal circular parlour design facilitates cow monitoring and teaching, with additional features including a viewing gallery and modern housing. The unit comprises two ventilated cow buildings: one with cubicles and another with cubicles and straw yards, incorporating automated systems such as ventilation screens, feed drones, and slurry scrapers. The Cow Manager system monitors cow health metrics, while Bovisync provides cloud-based data access, supporting student activities from undergraduate sessions to PhD projects.