Christopher Heffernan

Project Title: Investigation of Milk Fat Depression in dairy cattle under pasture based management systems

Overview: 

Chris is looking at the occurrence of low milk fat or the milk fat depression (MFD) syndrome which affects dairy cattle at specific time points during their lactation. Milk fat is a major component of milk and is one of the key factors on which milk price is set. This makes it significantly important on an economic basis. Mitigating its occurrence will drive farm efficiency on the principle of milk solids produced per cow and therefore increase overall farm profitability.

Chris studied and worked in America for 6 months where he was trained in the CNCPS feeding programme and Dairy Comp farm management software. Chris is a qualified AI technician and has training in reproductive scanning. He completed his professional work experience with leading industry professionals within the dairy nutrition sector.

Chris is from the kingdom of Kerry and in his spare time enjoys showing cattle with the Kerry Holstein Friesian breeders clubs’ young members branch.

Programme Area: Animal and Grassland Sciences 

Professional platform: 

Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5117-3038

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-heffernan-a51013184

Email: Christopher.heffernan@teagasc.ie

Supervisors: Michael Dineen and Tom O’Callaghan

Location: Moorepark AGRIP Research Centre 

Funding Source: Teagasc