Cockle Park

Cockle Park farm is a 262 ha research station situated about 20 miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne.  The mixed farm enterprises of dairy, beef, sheep, pigs and arable are managed on a commercial basis as vehicles for research.

The pig unit comprises 200 sows, housed predominantly on straw, with progeny reared to 85 kg in a range of different housing systems. Pigs are slaughtered at a local abattoir, which provides excellent access for obtaining tissue and meat samples as required. The unit is staffed by a manager, two stock-persons and two technicians.

Over the past decade, the unit has undergone a programme of comprehensive development. Virtually all the accommodation has been either rebuilt or refurbished to take account of legislation in animal welfare and the environment, and to utilise developments in feed and muck handling.