UQ Gatton invests $1.5 million into horse research

The University of Queensland has today (Tuesday, May 30) unveiled the $1.5 million expansion of its equine teaching and research centre at its Gatton campus.

The expansion, around UQ Gatton’s historic stable block Farm Square, includes eight new crushes for reproductive, dental and performance testing, holding yards, teasing lanes, mechanical horse walker and new dressage and show jumping arenas.

A new reproduction laboratory allows semen evaluation, embryo transfer and a clean dust-free serving area for semen collection.

Professor Wayne Bryden, UQ’s Head of the School of Animal Studies, said the UQ Gatton Equine Precinct development had taken two years of careful planning.

“UQ now has the most comprehensive set of equine facilities of any Australian university,” Professor Bryden said.

“The new facilities and those that have been replaced or upgraded provide best practice for horse handling and welfare.

“It gives us extremely good facilities and resources to further our links with the thoroughbred breeding and racing industries, the stock horse industry, the recreation horse industry.”

Professor Bryden said UQ’s Equine Precinct was linked to many other UQ units such as the Australian Equine Genetics Research Centre at St Lucia which DNA profiles all Australian thoroughbreds for the Australian Stud Book.

The expansion comes as UQ Gatton prepares for the relocation of UQ’s School of Veterinary Science from St Lucia as well as the development of the $30 million Centre for Advanced Animal Science in conjunction with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.

There are also future plans to build an equine veterinary clinic at UQ Gatton.

“These developments totalling about $120 million, will result in the best animal education and research amenities in the Southern Hemisphere,” Professor Bryden said.

“These projects will provide additional opportunities and facilities for equine and livestock research into areas such as health and production, nutrition, reproduction, diseases and vaccines, biotechnology and animal welfare,” Professor Bryden said.

“The equine precinct development is just one small part of the overall development plan for UQ Gatton during the next five to 10 years.”

Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Tim Mulherin officially opened the UQ Gatton Equine Precinct.

MEDIA: Professor Bryden (5460 1257), Susanne Schick at UQ Gatton (0409 265 587) or Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (3365 2619)