The faculty farm maintains several units for the student demonstrations such as
- Plant nursery and protected net house
- Medicinal Garden
- Export agricultural crop garden
- Organic unit
We produce certified seed paddy under the registration of Seed Act 2003 with collaboration of Seed certification service, Mahailluppallama to the local farmer communities in the Dry zone of Sri Lanka.
Animal Production Unit
The animal production unit of the faculty farm serves as a comprehensive facility dedicated to the rearing and management of livestock. Within this unit, various facilities are available for cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, broilers and layers, miscellaneous poultry, rabbits, and quails. Additionally, there is a duck-fish integration system and aquaculture units to further enrich the scope of farm animal production. Moreover, the pasture unit was established to showcase different pastures and fodder species. Together, these components collectively cater to a wide spectrum of farm animal production aspects, contributing significantly to agricultural education and research.
The animal production unit is primarily designed to provide practical, hands-on experience to the students engaged in various courses within the undergraduate curriculum. This immersive learning environment provides a better understanding of animal husbandry practices, management techniques, and farm operations, thereby equipping students with practical knowledge and expertise essential for success in the field.
In addition to serving as an education and research activity, the animal production unit also plays an important role in contributing to the economic sustainability of the faculty. The livestock and poultry raised within the unit generate various products, including meat, eggs, milk, and other related by-products. These products are then made available for sale at the faculty sales center. By directly marketing the produce from the animal production unit, it provides an avenue for students, staff and the local community to access high-quality, locally sourced agricultural products.
Courses and activities related to animal production unit
Faculty Farm provides a wide range of facilities for fulfilling undergraduate practical sessions under the following subjects;
AF 1101 Introduction to Animal Production and Aquaculture
AF 1202 Animal Nutrition and Feeding
AF 2101 Poultry and Swine Production
AF 2201 Ruminant Management
AF 3101 Practical Animal Production
AF 3202 Dairy Processing Technology
AF 3203 Meat and Egg Product Technology
AF 3204 Applied Animal Nutrition
AF 3205 Inland Fisheries and Ornamental Fish Culture
AF 3206 Micro-livestock and Integrated Systems
AF 4101 Farm Animal Welfare
Students can identify and differentiate the most common breeds of cattle, buffalo, goat, sheep, poultry and fish species specific to the dry zone area within the faculty premises. Other than that, some micro livestock species are also present at the farm. To understand the concepts of animal feed management, the animal production unit comprises a pasture museum, TMR machines, and other facilities that are required to conduct the practical on forage conservation. Furthermore, different aspects of livestock farm management including housing, feeding, health management, and record-keeping can be observed at the unit.
