Cattle Breeding Centre

The Cattle Breeding Centre was a veterinary research centre at Shinfield in the United Kingdom.

Cattle Breeding Centre[1]
Cattle Breeding Centre is located in Berkshire
Cattle Breeding Centre
Location within Berkshire
Former namesReading Centre for the Artificial Insemination of Cattle, AI Centre
General information
TypeAnimal Research Centre
AddressChurch Lane, RG2 9BZ
Coordinates51.413°N 0.9459°W / 51.413; -0.9459
Elevation25 m (82 ft)
Current tenantsHousing estate
CompletedFebruary 1943
Demolished1991
OwnerUniversity of Reading

History

The site opened in February 1943 as the Reading Centre for the Artificial Insemination of Dairy Cattle.[2] It had Shorthorn and Guernsey cattle. In January 1944 the site produced the world's first calf produced by artificial insemination, working with the Agricultural Improvement Council.[3] Another site had been opened at Cambridge in November 1942.[4]

The site closed in 1991.

Visits

On Thursday 15 November 1979, the site was visited by President General Suharto of Indonesia; the President had come to power in a coup in 1965, and the visit was attended by protestors from Reading University Amnesty International group.[5] On Wednesday 29 October 1980, the site was visited by the second President of Botswana, Quett Masire.[6]

Demolition

The site was demolished by the University of Reading and sold for housing (360 houses) in 2003.

Structure

The site was east of the A327, south of the M4, around a half-mile east of the former headquarters of Berkshire County Council. A short section of the National Cycle Network 50 runs east–west past the former site.

Function

The site worked with artificial insemination (AI) of cattle and pigs.

See also

References
  1. New Scientist, 22 February 1979, page 610
  2. Surrey Advertiser, Saturday 22 September 1945, page 3
  3. Test-tube calf 1944
  4. West Sussex County Times, Friday 30 July 1943, page 2
  5. Reading Evening Post, Wednesday 14 November 1979, page 3
  6. Times, Wednesday 29 October 1980, page 8
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