An agricultural science degree is much like farming – it’s very broad and you need to know a little something about a lot of things to get by. This broadness brings a lot of advantages, the biggest being the wide spectrum of jobs one can fall into following qualification. I studied animal science in University College Dublin (UCD) before I took up my current role as pedigree editor with the Irish Farmers Journal, while my classmates secured jobs across the sector from advisors to sales reps and everything in between.
Dovea Genetics is one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of bovine semen.
One topic that always interested me in college was breeding – how using a superior sire or matching the right cow and bull could unlock serious genetic potential. While it was not around when I finished in UCD, one graduate programme that would have interested me on qualification is the one now offered by Dovea Genetics.
Dovea Genetics is one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of bovine semen. The company specialises in the sale of bovine semen worldwide as well as providing AI services to farmers.
Based outside Thurles, Co Tipperary, Dovea Genetics now has over 120 bulls standing at stud producing semen in a controlled environment. The graduate programme it launched in 2018 introduces graduates to this world, showing them what happens day to day and how the semen gets from the testicles of the bull to as far away as Vietnam.
Over the two-year programme, successful applicants learn about the semen processing procedure, spend time with both the dairy and beef breeding programme managers and with the export team which has secured shipments to over 20 countries worldwide before joining the marketing team. This is the only programme of its kind offered by an Irish AI company and to get a feel of it, we spoke to the first two graduates.
John Dullea
Background: I was the very first graduate to join the Dovea graduate programme.
I spent four years in Waterford doing the level 8 agricultural science degree and qualified in 2018. I’m from a suckler farm at home and I wanted to see what dairy was like so following college I went to New Zealand and spent five months on a dairy farm. When I went over, they were just starting to calve and when I left they only had a week left of breeding, so I really got to see the full circle.
Why you applied: I always had an interest in breeding and genetics. With the sucklers at home we used a fair bit of AI, and I always thought the AI-bred calves were superior to the stock bull. This really sparked my interest in the AI side and animal performance on the home farm. I saw the graduate programme advertised and liked the structure of getting to see the different areas of the company. I went for it and started in October 2018.
The programme structure: When I started I did two to four weeks in the different areas; I started in the bull yard and then went to the lab processing the semen. I then spent time with the dairy programme manager, followed by a few weeks in accounts. After that I went into the export division for nine months. I dealt with a range of things here, from communicating with customers in countries we export to, satisfying health certs with shipments and I even got to travel. I got to visit Eurotier in Germany and Vietnam to see Dovea-sired progeny. It was incredible to see the impact Irish genetics was having on the type of cow they’re breeding in places like that.
Current role: Since the end of the programme I’ve been working with the beef programme manager. I’m currently heavily involved in THRIVE – the dairy calf to beef programme which is ran with the Irish Farmers Journal and a number of other partners. I also get out to farms sourcing bulls along with going overseas to Belgium and Carlisle to get a better understanding of the genetics in the bulls we’re currently sourcing.
Overall experience: I’m very happy with what I’m doing at the moment. It’s giving me a great awareness of the AI business with good variety. The rotation through the different areas of the business is something I was never exposed to before and it’s great to get to see this as it gives you a far better understanding. For someone involved in a farm set up at home with an interest in genetics it’s definitely a programme to look at.
Eamon O’Donnovan
Background: I did the level 8 agricultural science degree in Waterford Institute of Technology and graduated last year in 2019. 
I started the Dovea graduate programme in October 2019. In school, it was always agricultural science I wanted to pursue. We are trying to breed high-end suckler cattle on the home farm and I understood just how much breeding was the main component to achieving that.
Why did you apply?: Animal breeding and genetics has always been my passion. It’s the route I always wanted to go down as that’s where the interest lies. That said I wasn’t expecting to get offered a position at one of the top companies so early on. I thought I’d have to work a number of different careers to get here. So I was just delighted.
Programme set up: I’ve 10 months done now. The first few weeks of the programme were initiation. I was shown around every corner of the company. I was giving a short stint at each place from the bull yard to the marketing department to show how each role leads to success.
Current role: After a short while a position opened on the marketing team. This had been one area that was a point of interest for me so I was delighted to get an opportunity to move into it. My knowledge of livestock was definitely a help to me as it allows me to select to choose promotions to target each audience. I’m enjoying the role at the moment. There’s great interaction with both the team and the farmers, and I’m learning something new every day. It’s allowing me to get a good understanding of the role and what’s required of me.
What’s involved in your day to day?: There’s been a major shift towards digital and social media more than advertising. Anything I suggested has been embraced. We started an Instagram page which has gotten a great response. We try to provide daily updates and are getting feedback from all over the world. We also started a YouTube channel very recently and are using this to stream our new suckler series. I particularly enjoy this with my background in sucklers.
End of the programme: Due to the opening in marketing, I recently took up a permanent position as marketing executive so I am here for the foreseeable. I’d definitely recommend the programme. You have to have the interest though. If cattle breeding is your thing, I couldn’t see anything better.
An agricultural science degree is much like farming – it’s very broad and you need to know a little something about a lot of things to get by. This broadness brings a lot of advantages, the biggest being the wide spectrum of jobs one can fall into following qualification. I studied animal science in University College Dublin (UCD) before I took up my current role as pedigree editor with the Irish Farmers Journal, while my classmates secured jobs across the sector from advisors to sales reps and everything in between.
Dovea Genetics is one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of bovine semen.
One topic that always interested me in college was breeding – how using a superior sire or matching the right cow and bull could unlock serious genetic potential. While it was not around when I finished in UCD, one graduate programme that would have interested me on qualification is the one now offered by Dovea Genetics.
Dovea Genetics is one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of bovine semen. The company specialises in the sale of bovine semen worldwide as well as providing AI services to farmers.
Based outside Thurles, Co Tipperary, Dovea Genetics now has over 120 bulls standing at stud producing semen in a controlled environment. The graduate programme it launched in 2018 introduces graduates to this world, showing them what happens day to day and how the semen gets from the testicles of the bull to as far away as Vietnam.
Over the two-year programme, successful applicants learn about the semen processing procedure, spend time with both the dairy and beef breeding programme managers and with the export team which has secured shipments to over 20 countries worldwide before joining the marketing team. This is the only programme of its kind offered by an Irish AI company and to get a feel of it, we spoke to the first two graduates.
John Dullea
Background: I was the very first graduate to join the Dovea graduate programme.
I spent four years in Waterford doing the level 8 agricultural science degree and qualified in 2018. I’m from a suckler farm at home and I wanted to see what dairy was like so following college I went to New Zealand and spent five months on a dairy farm. When I went over, they were just starting to calve and when I left they only had a week left of breeding, so I really got to see the full circle.
Why you applied: I always had an interest in breeding and genetics. With the sucklers at home we used a fair bit of AI, and I always thought the AI-bred calves were superior to the stock bull. This really sparked my interest in the AI side and animal performance on the home farm. I saw the graduate programme advertised and liked the structure of getting to see the different areas of the company. I went for it and started in October 2018.
The programme structure: When I started I did two to four weeks in the different areas; I started in the bull yard and then went to the lab processing the semen. I then spent time with the dairy programme manager, followed by a few weeks in accounts. After that I went into the export division for nine months. I dealt with a range of things here, from communicating with customers in countries we export to, satisfying health certs with shipments and I even got to travel. I got to visit Eurotier in Germany and Vietnam to see Dovea-sired progeny. It was incredible to see the impact Irish genetics was having on the type of cow they’re breeding in places like that.
Current role: Since the end of the programme I’ve been working with the beef programme manager. I’m currently heavily involved in THRIVE – the dairy calf to beef programme which is ran with the Irish Farmers Journal and a number of other partners. I also get out to farms sourcing bulls along with going overseas to Belgium and Carlisle to get a better understanding of the genetics in the bulls we’re currently sourcing.
Overall experience: I’m very happy with what I’m doing at the moment. It’s giving me a great awareness of the AI business with good variety. The rotation through the different areas of the business is something I was never exposed to before and it’s great to get to see this as it gives you a far better understanding. For someone involved in a farm set up at home with an interest in genetics it’s definitely a programme to look at.
Eamon O’Donnovan
Background: I did the level 8 agricultural science degree in Waterford Institute of Technology and graduated last year in 2019.
I started the Dovea graduate programme in October 2019. In school, it was always agricultural science I wanted to pursue. We are trying to breed high-end suckler cattle on the home farm and I understood just how much breeding was the main component to achieving that.
Why did you apply?: Animal breeding and genetics has always been my passion. It’s the route I always wanted to go down as that’s where the interest lies. That said I wasn’t expecting to get offered a position at one of the top companies so early on. I thought I’d have to work a number of different careers to get here. So I was just delighted.
Programme set up: I’ve 10 months done now. The first few weeks of the programme were initiation. I was shown around every corner of the company. I was giving a short stint at each place from the bull yard to the marketing department to show how each role leads to success.
Current role: After a short while a position opened on the marketing team. This had been one area that was a point of interest for me so I was delighted to get an opportunity to move into it. My knowledge of livestock was definitely a help to me as it allows me to select to choose promotions to target each audience. I’m enjoying the role at the moment. There’s great interaction with both the team and the farmers, and I’m learning something new every day. It’s allowing me to get a good understanding of the role and what’s required of me.
What’s involved in your day to day?: There’s been a major shift towards digital and social media more than advertising. Anything I suggested has been embraced. We started an Instagram page which has gotten a great response. We try to provide daily updates and are getting feedback from all over the world. We also started a YouTube channel very recently and are using this to stream our new suckler series. I particularly enjoy this with my background in sucklers.
End of the programme: Due to the opening in marketing, I recently took up a permanent position as marketing executive so I am here for the foreseeable. I’d definitely recommend the programme. You have to have the interest though. If cattle breeding is your thing, I couldn’t see anything better.
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