General Information:

The Butner Beef Cattle Field Laboratory is comprised of 1260 acres straddling the Granville and Durham County Line. As the name implies, the emphasis of research is beef cattle. It is here that the Department of Animal Science conducts research in nutrition and reproductive physiology.

Past projects have increased our knowledge of how various hormones affect animal growth. A cow that grows faster may mature faster. When cows mature faster, they can be bred at an earlier age. For a farmer, this means less time and feed are needed to produce top quality, marketable beef cattle.

Nutrition studies are expanding our understanding of the mineral requirements of beef cattle. It is now known that some trace minerals affect the immune systems of cattle. Surprisingly, some breeds of cattle need more mineral supplements than others.

Finally, North Carolina is a leader in the area of waste management..turning carcasses and manure into fertilizers and animal feed additives. This use of previously discarded products results in a smaller demand for landfills and products for new companies.

STUDENT PART-TIME JOB OPPORTUNITIES

(contact Animal_Science_Webmaster@ncsu.edu in the Animal Science Department)

Limited student housing is available

• General Farm Crew - Overall project support through involvement with general pasture maintenance, fence mending, tree felling, etc.

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• Cow/Calf - Project support through assisting with animal care including health care, and maintenance.

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• Nutrition - Project support through animal feeding and general care.

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This page was last reviewed on 3/21/2001 by webmaster