Two Research Masters Opportunities are available in the area of ‘Sustainable High Output Grass Based Dairy Production’

Background
The Irish dairy sector now accounts for over €6 billion in exports and there has been a significant expansion in production, jobs and exports over the last decade. However, this expansion has also resulted in a number of environmental pressures. The dairy sector must continue to improve its sustainability credentials (environmental, economic and social), building on the grass-based foundation that offers Irish dairy farmers a unique competitive advantage. The research topics of these MSc scholarships align closely with Ireland’s Agri-Food Strategy 2030, targeting a climate-neutral food system by 2050, with verifiable progress achieved by 2030.

The successful candidates will be continuing the Dairy Herd Systems Study at UCD Lyons Farm involving detailed measurements on milk production, grassland management, herd fertility and nutritional interventions. There will now be the addition of nitrogen excretion and methane measurements from the herd, improving the data on emission factors from Irish dairy cows and evaluating the impact of nutritional strategies on methane emissions.

The research is funded by Dairy Research Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The experimentation is based at UCD Lyons Farm, Celbridge, Co. Kildare. There will be opportunities to present research findings at national and international scientific conferences.

Requirements
Applications are invited from graduates holding a first or 2.1 class honours degree in an appropriate discipline (Animal Science, Environmental Science, Agricultural Science or related discipline). Applicants must have a high level of familiarity with Irish grass-based dairy production systems. The successful candidates should be highly self-motivated and be prepared for laboratory work and periods of field work with modern analytical equipment. A full EU driving licence is essential.

Award
The students will be working under the supervision of Profs Karina Pierce, Finbar Mulligan, Tommy Boland, Drs Zoe McKay, Stafford Vigors and Alan Kelly. The Fellowship provides an annual stipend of €26,000.
Tuition fees are paid from this stipend, which is tenable for 2 years.

Further Information/Applications - Prof. Karina Pierce, School of Agriculture & Food Science, UCD, Dublin, Ireland; email: karina.pierce@ucd.ie
Application Procedure - Applicants should submit 1 PDF document with a CV and covering letter together detailing their qualifications and experience to Karina Pierce (karina.pierce@ucd.ie). The attached PDF must contain
your name.