AFBI to Showcase Latest Dairy Research at On-Farm Events
AFBI invites all dairy farmers, industry representatives and stakeholders to ‘Dairy Innovation in Practice' which will be held across three dairy farms in Northern Ireland on 12, 13 and 14 September. The on-farm events are being organised in conjunction with AgriSearch, College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) and the Ulster Grassland Society (UGS) and will be held on farms in counties Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone.
FOR MORE DETAILS ON EACH EVENT AND TO REGISTER PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
AFBI Farm Walks Will Highlight the Importance of Calf Health for Future Performance
Rearing replacement heifers is a major financial investment on dairy farms and it is therefore important to manage heifer rearing effectively. Early detection of ill-health and regular monitoring of growth rate throughout the rearing period is essential to maximise lifetime performance. AFBI have developed management guidelines for calf rearing systems to optimise calf performance. These management guidelines will be discussed during the previously announced series of AFBI Farm Walks which will take place on 12, 13 and 14 September.
FOR MORE DETAILS ON EACH EVENT AND TO REGISTER PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
The 5th Nursten Postgraduate Flavour Conference was recently held at AFBI Headquarters. The conference is held annually and offers postgraduate students and researchers working in the field of flavour, the opportunity to discuss advances in this area. The conference is held in memory of the late Professor Harry Nursten, previously Professor of Food Science and Nutrition at Reading University. This was the first year it was held outside GB.
Tree breeders from Germany recently visited AFBI Loughgall where trials on wild Cherry clonal selections are being undertaken as part of collaborative work between AFBI and Teagasc. The work is investigating the genetic potential of a range of hardwood tree species for the island of Ireland and is focusing on 33 selections of wild cherry (a native species) which were planted in 2010.
AFBI Senior Team Visits University College Dublin Lyons Research Farm
Senior staff from AFBI led by Dr Sinclair Mayne (Chief Executive), recently visited University College Dublin (UCD) Lyons Research Farm to discuss opportunities for future collaboration. The UCD team were led by Professor Michael Doherty (Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine) and Professor Alex Evans (Dean of the School of Agriculture and Food Science).
AFBI and YFCU Discuss Latest Research Developments
AFBI recently hosted a visit to Hillsborough by the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster. President and Deputy President, James Speers and Zita Blair met with AFBI’s CEO Dr Sinclair Mayne and Dr Debbie McConnell to learn about the latest AFBI research activity. The group also discussed plans for closer collaboration in the future.
AFBI's latest research to improve performance on sheep farms
Research scientists from AFBI recently attended the Sheep NI event organised by the National Sheep Association where they presented and discussed some of their latest research. In particular, on farm studies, conducted in collaboration with veterinary practices and advisors and investigating novel approaches to health and production planning were highlighted.
AFBI Awarded UK National Reference Laboratory Status for Marine Biotoxins
AFBI were recently awarded the UK National Reference Laboratory contract for marine biotoxins (UKNRL-MB), following a successful tender for the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) contract. AFBI have been delivering NRL services on behalf of the agency since 2008. The team is headed by Dermot Faulkner, AFBI Chemical and Immunodiagnostic Sciences Branch (CISB) based at Veterinary Sciences Division.
I was raised on a small County Fermanagh dairy farm and qualified as a Veterinary Surgeon from University College Dublin in 1991. After qualification, I started work in a mixed practice in Drumrainey Veterinary Surgery in Magherafelt with Clarke, Crockett and Jamison. I later spent five years with Rathfriland Veterinary Clinic in County Down. I joined Veterinary Sciences Division (VSD) within AFBI in 2001 during the foot and mouth crisis.
