# Experimental Farm, Aberystwyth, May '11



## The Archivist (May 13, 2011)

In 1939 Alban Davies, a retired milk-merchant, gave £35,000 to the University College of Wales to buy 205 acres of land on Penglais Hill for research purposes. A new model farm was established by the Departments of Dairy Science and Agricultural Economics on the site and soon was at the forefront of dairying innovation. 

During the Second World War, many members of staff in the Agricultural Departments were seconded to the service of the War Agricultural Committees and the Departments' remaining staff also made considerable contributions to increasing wartime food production.

After the War, the work of the farm continued with scientists working to develop higher yielding breeds of cattle, pigs and sheep, new feeds and new treatments for livestock. In 1995 the University Department of Agriculture merged with the Welsh Agricultural College to form the Welsh Institute of Rural Sciences. This was later merged with other departments to become the Institute of Rural Sciences and then the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences. 

The farm was closed last year following general budget cuts and a regrouping of University facilities. The site is to be redeveloped for housing in the near future. 

Visit was by permission: the owners are unlikely to take kindly to univited visitors and caretakers live on site.






The Farm





A lotta bottle





Desktop items





Knackered moisture meter





Estate Map





This room was last used by an amateur boxing club. Approaching the door on the right I was hit by the unmistakable stench of rotting flesh. The source turned out to be a chest freezer full of slowly liquifying meat and fish. 





One anteroom was full of these medication bottles





Milking Parlour with Herras





Milking machinery





Milking Machine





Wool bag





Some sort of feed mixer I think - it was right next to the silo.





Dietary requirements board?





Large cowshed





Numbered pens

Thanks for reading


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## Snips86x (May 13, 2011)

Looks like it was a great explore. Thanks!


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## Foxylady (May 15, 2011)

Very nice find and documentation, Archivist. Don't quote me on this, but I believe that supplementary feed is given to cows after milking, depending on the individual milk yields...which is what I think the feed mixer and notice board are for.
Good stuff. Cheers.


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