Science Foundation Ireland has announced €10.8m in Government funding for new research by younger scientists and PhD students, with two of the 20 projects selected directly useful to Irish farmers.
Geneticist Sinéad McParland from Teagasc Moorepark has been awarded €375,873
to establish the tools necessary to identify Ireland's most efficient dairy cows from which to breed future generations of animals.
Her project will use infrared spectroscopy as a low-cost solution to identify those cows producing higher milk solids from lower feed inputs.
"This will yield a more efficient and sustainable national herd benefiting producers, processors and consumers nationally and internationally," the project description reads.
High value from farm waste
Meanwhile, Amanda Sosa-Avendano of UCD will investigate new ways of transforming agricultural waste into high-value low-carbon products.
She has obtained €403,167
for her project, which will analyse existing and new agri-waste supply chains.
"The agricultural sector is the major contributor to the overall greenhouse emissions in Ireland and is currently in the process to incorporate environmental considerations in parallel with looking for new valorisation paths for agricultural waste," and the research will identify ways of enhancing what we do with farm effluents and by-products.
Read more
'Idle cows and cull calves': efficiency to the rescue of dairy's green image
Watch: farmers face 30% plastic recycling cost hike
EU to promote bone meal and sludge as fertiliser
Science Foundation Ireland has announced €10.8m in Government funding for new research by younger scientists and PhD students, with two of the 20 projects selected directly useful to Irish farmers.
Geneticist Sinéad McParland from Teagasc Moorepark has been awarded €375,873
to establish the tools necessary to identify Ireland's most efficient dairy cows from which to breed future generations of animals.
Her project will use infrared spectroscopy as a low-cost solution to identify those cows producing higher milk solids from lower feed inputs.
"This will yield a more efficient and sustainable national herd benefiting producers, processors and consumers nationally and internationally," the project description reads.
High value from farm waste
Meanwhile, Amanda Sosa-Avendano of UCD will investigate new ways of transforming agricultural waste into high-value low-carbon products.
She has obtained €403,167
for her project, which will analyse existing and new agri-waste supply chains.
"The agricultural sector is the major contributor to the overall greenhouse emissions in Ireland and is currently in the process to incorporate environmental considerations in parallel with looking for new valorisation paths for agricultural waste," and the research will identify ways of enhancing what we do with farm effluents and by-products.
Read more
'Idle cows and cull calves': efficiency to the rescue of dairy's green image
Watch: farmers face 30% plastic recycling cost hike
EU to promote bone meal and sludge as fertiliser
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