Cumbria University's investment a firm commitment to farming

Hailing the new investment as ‘an act of faith in modern agriculture’, the university will welcome new cattle to its Newton Rigg campus - eight years after foot-and-mouth wiped out its original dairy herd.

The university is introducing its own beef-rearing business at Sewborwens Farm, near Penrith, where the construction of a new roundhouse building to house the livestock has almost finished.

The building has been designed by Roundhouse Building Solutions and features triangular pens and is naturally light and airy, which aims to create a calm and relaxed environment for the new bull calves.

It is constructed from a galvanised steel frame with a tensile PVC coated polyester fabric roof. It has an internal diameter of 30 metres and can house up to 150 cattle.

The entire building is recyclable and, due to its innovative design, can be managed by a single operative.

“The roundhouse is a significant investment in Sewborwens Farm and is a clear statement of intent the university is committed to agriculture and agricultural education,” says estate manager David Woodcock.

“It will add to the valuable hands-on experience of our agriculture students and apprentices,” he says.

The new beef unit is part of a wider number of features introduced at the farm, which include a bio-diesel plant and the introduction of a foundation degree in agriculture at the Newton Rigg campus next year.