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Campus Farm

Campus Farm

The Department of Animal and Avian Sciences (ANSC) Campus Farm is nestled in the middle of the College Park Campus adjacent to the ANSC building and the Comcast Center. The ANSC Campus Farm is considered to be the “jewel” of the department as it provides essential hands-on learning opportunities for our students and it serves as a showcase for the Animal Sciences discipline to all campus visitors.

ANSC Farm Virtual Tour

Farm Facilities

Dairy Barn

The Dairy Barn is actually our multi-species, multi-use barn. It is used to house pigs, sheep, quarantined horses, beef steers, and, of course, dairy cattle. There are tie-stalls with a milking system that allows lactating dairy cattle brought in from our off-campus Dairy in Clarksville, MD to be used during hands-on milking laboratories. The barn features an outdoor livestock ring that serves to house and handle livestock. The livestock ring is also where pigs, lambs, dairy heifers, and beef steers are shown on Ag Day in front of thousands of visitors to our campus.

Horse Barn

The Horse Barn serves as the major hub for our equine-related labs. We maintain a herd of 5-8 horses that have all been generously donated to the University. In addition to the teaching labs, the horses are ridden by members of the Maryland Equestrian Club (MEC). As part of the club's educational program, they assist with the daily feeding and care of the horses. The Horse Barn features 8 stalls, rooms for feed, hay, and equipment storage, a tack room, and a wash stall. Horses are turned out into paddocks when not used for teaching or riding. Horses are often taken on trail rides at the nearby Acredale Community Park.

Sheep Barn

The Sheep Barn is bustling with activity during the school year. Here you will find Certified Scrapie Free ewes and lambs grazing and frolicking during the spring and rams and ewes together in the fall. Students spend a lot of time in the barn during "lamb watch" as part of our Small Animal Parturition class which is on hand to assist ewes during lambing if necessary.

Chicken Coop

The Chicken Coop is a small poultry house used to house chickens for our Introduction to Animal Science and Poultry Management labs. It has also been used for poultry behavior studies by our research faculty.

Campus Farm Office

The ANSC Campus Farm office is centrally located on the ANSC Campus Farm, just a stone's throw from the sheep and horse barns. You may hear it fondly referred to as the "the Shack" by students and faculty. The building houses the office of the ANSC Campus Farm Manager as well as providing meeting, break room, and restroom facilities.

Student Experiences on the Farm

Animal Science Student Aikeen "AJ" Jones describes how the University of Maryland Campus Farm has influenced his educational experience and future career path.

Our Sheep Management class spends the spring semester on the farm learning basic shepherding skills.

General Information

Our Campus Farm

The ANSC Campus Farm is used primarily for teaching in 11 ANSC classes, 3 classes in the Institute of Applied Agriculture, and 3 student organizations. Throughout the year, the ANSC Campus Farm is home to horses, sheep, and dairy cows, with pigs, chickens, beef steers, and dairy heifers being temporary occupants. The farm features 3 main barns, a poultry house, two outdoor teaching arenas, an equipment/bedding/tractor storage shed, and an office building. The ANSC Campus Farm Manager along with the “Farm Crew” work diligently to keep the animals healthy, ensure the teaching laboratories are running smoothly, and to keep the facility in tip top shape for our many visitors. The Farm Crew is a group of paid undergraduate students who assist the ANSC Campus Farm Manager with the day-to-day operations while gaining valuable practical farm experience to make them competitive in today’s job market.

The Campus Farm is also home to our annual Ag Day livestock fitting and showmanship show. Always held on the last Saturday in April, Ag Day is one of the best ways for students to gain hands-on experience with a variety of livestock species right here on campus!

Campus Farm Staff

The ANSC Campus Farm Oversight Committee meets regularly to address farm issues, discuss policy, plan future renovations, and provide guidance to the ANSC Campus Farm Manager. The committee is made up of 3 faculty, 1 staff member, 1 undergraduate student, and the ANSC Campus Farm Manager.

Crystal Caldwell

Crystal Caldwell

Manager, ANSC Campus Farm
Department of Animal and Avian Sciences 
Bldg. 103, Regents Drive
College Park, MD 20742
Tel.: 301-405-1298; Fx: 301-405-7980

Crystal Caldwell was raised in Washburn, ME where she owned chickens and participated in Future Farmers of America. Prior to joining the staff at the University of Maryland in 2010, she managed dairy cattle and other livestock at many farms, including at the University of Maine. Crystal oversees the day-to-day management of the animals and facilities at the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences Campus Farm. She also manages the students in the Campus Farm Crew as well as the members of the Maryland Equestrian Club that assist her in some of her daily animal management duties. In addition, Crystal works with departmental faculty to coordinate special events at the farm like Ag Day and Campus Farm tours. She also assists in teaching ANSC 235 - Small Ruminant Parturition, also affectionately known as Lamb Watch.

Teaching

Two students work with sheep.

The ANSC Campus Farm utilizes two outdoor sand footing teaching arenas. The smaller ring, known as the "livestock ring", is used for housing livestock, teaching laboratories, and during livestock shows. The larger ring, called the "riding ring", is used primarily during equine-related teaching laboratories and for riding lessons and in-house shows organized by the Maryland Equestrian Club.

Visitors

The Campus Farm is open to visitors during normal business hours. Tours of the ANSC Campus Farm can be arranged through our ANSC Campus Farm Manager and through our ANSC Undergraduate Office.

*Due to COVID19 measures, we are not currently arranging in-person farm tours. Appointments may be arranged via Zoom or phone.

Directions:
From 193 (University Boulevard) or Metzerott Road enter the University of Maryland campus via Paint Branch Drive. At the first stop sign turn right onto Regents Drive. At the next stop sign turn left to continue on Regents Drive. After 0.1 miles the Campus Farm will be on your right. 

From Route 1 (Baltimore Ave) coming from the south turn left onto Campus Drive. At the "M" traffic circle take the first right onto Regents Drive. Continue for 0.3 miles. The Campus Farm will be on your left.

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