As a farmer, Colm cares deeply about the welfare of his animals. Improving animal welfare on farms can play a role in improving health and profitability. He is also concerned that animal welfare lobby groups pose a threat to animal based food production, and he hopes to identify specific areas where the industry can improve welfare standards. He wants to look at how other countries’ farm organisations deal with this issue and look for strategies that can be adopted by the whole agricultural community.Colm believes that farmers should be the most vocal proponents of improving animal welfare so as not to leave a vacuum that can be filled by more radical voices. Colm intends to visit the USA, Canada, Australia and several countries in Northern Europe.
 

Farmer led animal welfare - An opportunity for the Irish livestock industry

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Joe grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Inistioge, Co.Kilkenny. He studied Food & Agri-Business Management at UCD. He completed an MSc in Food Business Strategy at the Michael Smurfit Business School, UCD. He was accepted onto the Pure Ambition Graduate Program with Glanbia, and is currently a ruminant business manager. Alongside his job with Glanbia, Joe farms at home with his cousin and two uncles. Since the abolition of quotas they have grown from 60 cows to 260, while phasing out the beef and sheep enterprises.

Outside of work, Joe is a part of the Kilkenny Senior Hurling panel and loves all sports, in particular Horse Racing.

Grass based dairy production gives Ireland a distinct advantage, due to a combination of soils, climate, farm practices and the amount of grass in the cows diet. He will try to find whether our dairy products are worth more to consumers, and if there is additional value in the market for grass fed dairy products. He will also examine the value of Organic, Almond and Soya products versus Grass Fed products in the market. Finally, he will look at the facts about whether there is a nutritional advantage to be gained from consuming grass fed products, and whether this means that we could be marketing these products differently. Over the course of his Nuffield he intends to visit the USA, China and New Zealand.

Value in the market for grass-fed dairy product

View Joe’s presentation slides here 

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After Lissadell he lectured at the MSc Course in Organic Horticulture at UCC and currently works as an organic farm and garden inspector for the Organic Trust. He has grown a diverse range of alternative and novel food crops mainly from the Andes region in South America for many years. They include vegetables such as oca, mashua, ulluco, maca, yacon, quinoa, amaranth, pepino and tarwi. If the potato from the same origin grows so well in Ireland, then why not other crops from the same area? Some of these food crops have potential health benefits (ideal for people suffering from diabetes – e.g. Yacon) and culinary qualities. After having grown many of these crops in Ireland, Klaus plans to explore their native growing conditions, their cultivation methods and how they are cooked, and try to find food crops with potential in Ireland from different parts of the world.
 

The potential of growing yacon and Jerusalem artichokes as crops and functional foods in Ireland

The post Klaus Laitenberger appeared first on Nuffield Ireland.

Karol was appointed as Treasurer to the Nuffield Ireland board 2022 – 2025.

Review of perceptions of agriculture in primary schools students and opportunities for developments

Views Karols presentation slides here

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A cow centered approach to modern dairy farming

See Tommys conference presentation slides here

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