New Beef Research appointments at Teagasc Grange
The Teagasc Beef Research Programme at Grange in County Meath has recently appointed two new research scientists to head up the grassland and beef systems research programmes. Dr Peter Doyle and Dr Colin Byrne have joined the Beef Research team led by Teagasc Beef Enterprise Leader Dr Paul Crosson.
A key aim of these positions will be to develop technologies and management practices to address the environmental challenges facing the sector particularly in relation to greenhouse gas emissions.
The environmental challenges facing the agri-food sector have been highlighted recently with the COP26 Summit in Glasgow and the discussions around the Government’s climate action plan. The implications of these discussions on the Irish beef sector are not clear; however, it will mean a greater focus on the environmental footprint of beef cattle production.
Peter Doyle recently commenced a grassland research post and will focus on sustainable grazing systems. Reducing the use of imported nitrogen and incorporating legumes such as clover in beef grazing systems has been identified as a potential opportunity to reduce costs and the environmental impact of beef systems. Peter’s research will explore these opportunities both in experimental studies at Grange and at farm level where issues such as establishment, persistence and optimal utilisation will be investigated.
Speaking about these opportunities, Peter Doyle, who recently completed a PhD at Teagasc Grange and UCD in beef grazing studies, said; “We have the capacity in this country to grow high yields of grass inexpensively and the challenge now is to continue to do this with lower levels of nitrogen, while supporting high animal live weight performance. This is now more important than ever considering the increasing price of inputs and the environmental challenges facing the beef industry”.
Animal performance, particularly with respect to suckler cow fertility and milk yield and progeny live weight and carcass performance, remains a key driver of efficient and profitable beef farm systems. A new research programme led by Colin Byrne will look at the potential to further drive productivity of suckler beef systems by increasing output per cow, and reduce environmental impacts with the initial focus on enteric methane emissions.
Colin Byrne has a PhD from Teagasc Grange and UCD and has postdoctoral experience at UCD, University of Limerick and Murdoch University, Australia along with some time in industry as a ruminant nutritionist. According to Colin; “Our suckler beef cow systems are already among the most carbon efficient in the world. Implementing practices such as reducing age at first calving, increasing the number of calves weaned per cow and increasing the calves’ weaning weight will further reduce the beef industry’s carbon footprint, while also ensuring the best possible economic return for the farmer. The research suckler herds at Teagasc Grange play an important role in improving our understanding of these traits and the interactions between genetics and management in grass-based suckler beef systems.”
The new research projects will commence in 2022 at the Animal and Grassland, Research and Innovation centre in Teagasc Grange.