The University experimental farm

The University experimental farm was founded in 1932 and had two subdivisions. Its formation was very difficult. At the beginning of the war it had a central farmstead, a tractor fleet, a piggery, a sheep farm, a poultry farm, an apiary, test оfields under feed crops. The experimental farm played an important role during the war. After the war a material and technical basis had to be restored because it was completely destroyed. Gradually the conditions for students’ residence became better and the material and technical basis was improved. Many famous scientists of the institute carried out research and practical work on the farm.

In 2008 V.I. Trukhachev, rector of the University, assigned a task not only to revive but also to multiply a past fame of the University experimental farm. It was necessary to maintain the farm as a basis where students could improve obtained theoretical knowledge, master different technologies, carry out research, experimental developments and tests under the leadership of chief scientists. The farm had to be used as an educational-production testing area to improve professional skills of specialists in the agrarian sector, to carry out vocational guidance among pupils.

Now the farm has 9561 hectares of land including more than 5000 hectares of arable land. There are three units for grain acceptance, cleaning and storage. A seed cleaning line was restored. A workshop on concentrated feed operates; storage rooms, sheds, storage grounds for machinery and grain were reconstructed. Tractor fleet is furnished with modern high-performance equipment ( ACROS-530, ACROS-580).

Since 2008 the educational-research-productive agro-engineering complex has been operating. Research studies on the improvement of crop growing systems, effective application of farm machinery, fertilizers and plant protection are carried out on its base. In 2009 7000 students and 200 postgraduates mastered new soil tillage technologies, fertilizer incorporation, vehicle operations.

In 2010 educational seminars for pupils’ productive teams were organized.

Since 2008 the demonstration centre of resource-saving technologies has been functioning which provides cooperation between the University and other enterprises to show farm machinery, equipment, technologies, new crop varieties and to organize shows, exhibitions, seminars, conferences.

Scientists, postgraduates, students of the Agronomy and Plant Protection Faculties carry out research to improve farming systems, crop production. Space-saving machinery, laboratories and other equipment are used for field experiments. Vegetable and berry crops are grown there. Drop irrigation allows to increase yield and quality of production, to expand research studies on the technology of vegetable and berry crop growing. New technologies to grow feed crops on arable lands have been developed. The technology of rough feed storage in polyethelene bales helps keep nutrients in feed and increase the growth of meat and dairy production at 25 – 30%. This technology has also been developed by the University and put into practice.

The farm is one of the dynamically developed units of the University. It will be planned to increase the heads of meat cattle breeding, sheep breeding, to build a mill and bakery, a sausage workshop, to develop fish breeding, and bee-farming.