The Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension (MARE) Center, a 420-acre farm, was donated with a supporting grant to Virginia Tech in 1949 by the late Paul Mellon and his wife.  For 40 years, the Center was used mainly for beef cattle research.  In 1992, it was re-dedicated to equine research. The breeding stock are registered Thoroughbreds donated by many generous supporters. The MARE Center is currently home to three stallions, more than 50 broodmares, 22 yearlings and 28 foals used for studies of nutrition, reproduction, and growth. In addition, there are 14 Arabian geldings used for studies of obesity and exercise.

Research

Faculty, students and staff at the MARE Center conduct research that advances understanding of factors that link nutrition and health in the horse. Areas of focus include nutritional influences on metabolism and health in different physiologic states including growth, pregnancy, and exercise, and the study of the role of nutrition in important diseases such as laminitis and osteochondrosis. The MARE Center is uniquely suited to study nutrition and disease avoidance in the context of the grazing animal, and develop nutritional and management practices that benefit equine health and performance.

Communication

Communicating the results and implications of research conducted at the MARE Center is critical to achieving its mission. MARE's audience is made up of both the scientific and equine communities at local, national, and international levels. Communication is achieved through publication in peer-reviewed journals, lay publications, oral presentations at lay and scientific meetings, and seminars and workshops held at the Center. The communication strategies employed by those at the MARE Center result in rapid and effective implementation of nutritional and management strategies targeted at disease avoidance and improvements in equine health and athletic production.

Training

Providing advanced training for those studying animal science and veterinary medicine is an important component of the MARE Center’s mission. The MARE Center’s facilities offer a unique opportunity for students to learn research methods and techniques in a field station environment. Long term benefits to the scientific and equine communities are seen through the placement of MARE Center graduates in industry and academia around the world.

For more information visit:

http://www.apsc.vt.edu/centers/mare/marechome.htm

Contact Information

Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Virginia Tech
National Capital Region
5527 Sullivans Mill Road
Middleburg, VA 20117
Phone:  (540) 687-3521
Fax:  (540) 657-3548

Contact email: rbrady@vt.edu