To impart teaching and hands-on training to the U.G and P.G students, training to the needy farmers and supplying superior germplasm to the progressive farmers, a livestock farm was started during the year 1989 with the dairy, sheep and goat and equine units. Later on pig and rabbit units are also added.
Crossbred Jersey and Murrah buffaloes are maintained in this farm. Machine milking is practiced, which ensures clean milk production. To minimize the water wastage and provision of clean water, automatic drinkers are provided in the dairy unit. In addition, calf pen, bull shed, feed store room is also available. Further, a modern Herringbone type milking parlour is under construction.
Mecheri sheep, Tellicherry and Jamnapari goats are maintained in the Goat unit. The sheds were constructed to suit the semi-arid climatic condition with a dipping tank.
Large white Yorkshire breed is maintained in this farm. Automatic feeder and waterer has been installed in the pig shed. To alleviate heat stress in the pigs, automatic sprinkler with time controller is installed. The waste water generated from the pig shed is effectively stored in a sedimentation tank for the cultivation of fish and azolla and the excess water is utilized for fodder cultivation. Bio-gas plant was erected for the effective utilization of cow and pig manure and the bio-gas produced are being utilized for cooking of hostel waste before feeding to pigs as swill feed.
White Giant and Soviet Chinchilla, the broiler breeds of rabbit are being maintained under elevated modern rabbit shed to minimize occurrence of coccidiosis and pneumonia.
The poultry farm complex was started on 02.01.1992 with a limited number of different poultry species in the old tiled roof poultry houses under deep-litter system of rearing. Subsequently, modern poultry housing systems with automation were established as instructional farm for the benefit of students, farmers and trainees.
At present, modern turkey brooder-cum-grower house and turkey breeder house are available with automatic watering and feeding system. Likewise, modern poultry houses for Japanese quail, White Leghorn, Cross-bred chicken, Guinea fowl and other fancy chicken have been established.
Recently, Emu and Ostrich units are added in the Poultry Farm Complex for the instructional and demonstration purposes. Two unique hybrids were evolved by the department of Poultry Science, i.e. Namakkal Quail-1 and Namakkal Chicken-1. Namakkal Quail-1 is a meat type Japanese quail by adopting 4-way cross breeding technique. Similarly, Namakkal Chicken-1 was evolved for the purpose of laying more number of brown shelled eggs under backyard system of rearing. These two strains have much popularity among public and validated in the field conditions
More than ten thousand day-old chicks of different poultry species are supplied to the needy farmers belonging to Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states every week. Apart from teaching and research, a quality germplasm is supplied to the needy farmers.
A forage farm is maintained to provide fodder regularly to the livestock maintained for research and instruction purposes apart from offering a course for U.G. students and supply of fodder slips to needy farmers. This department is maintaining 25 acres of irrigated land in which various fodder crops were planted. Different agro forestry models and model forage plants and pastures are being maintained by this department to educate the students and farmers. In 2010-2011, 25 acres of silvipasture land was developed with a two kilometre length of farm roads to access the farm freely.
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