About the farm

Based near Rotorua in the central North Island, the University of Auckland’s Ngapouri Research Farm has an international reputation for its facilities and expertise in sheep-based biomedical, basic, and applied research. A wide range of work is undertaken at the farm, which features a surgery, X-ray image intensifier, doppler ultrasound and tissue collection facilities in a purpose-built facility surrounded by 50 hectares of sheep pasture.

It has an extended breeding season for pregnancy work and is suitable for longitudinal studies with animals able to be maintained on site between interventions and observations. Due to its rural location in the geothermal zone, it is also well suited to research in soil ecology, wetland management, geology, climate change, and pest animal management.

The farm has hosted national and international collaborations. The success of these collaborations reflects the expertise of the staff, its academic and research links, and the excellent on-site facilities. The on-site team, led by Dr Mark Oliver, were highly commended in the 2018 University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards for their commitment to health, safety, and wellbeing.