Livestock Research Programs

Dairy Unit

The 150 cow milking herd is utilized to investigate projects in nutrition, heat stress management, herd health, calf and heifer development and reproduction.  Examples of individual cow data collected electronically are daily cow weights, milking duration times, activity, conductivity of milk produced, hourly deep body temperatures of the cows as well as routine data collections such as milk produced and health status. We are now mating cattle based on DNA profiles. This is a much more effective platform for improving overall herd genetics.

Poultry Unit

The poultry research program includes commercial layers, broiler breeders, broilers, and incubation. In addition to conducting the Layer Performance Management Test in North America, studies include work in applied production practices and nutrition management. To accomplish this poultry research the station has housing for over 15,000 commercial layers, 8,000 broiler breeders, and incubation capacity to hatch more than 52,000 eggs at one time utilizing both multi-stage and single stage incubation. These facilities are able to evaluate the effects of a research project on a size and scale of a commercial poultry operation.

NCDA&CS Research Stations Division, Teresa Lambert, Director

Mailing Address: 1001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1001

Physical Address:2 W. Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

Phone: (919) 707-3236  FAX: (919) 733-1754