Very successful technical dairy seminar hosted at AFBI Hillsborough

AFBI Hillsborough in conjunction with AgriSearch hosted a very successful technical seminar for the dairy industry recently.

The morning session focused on the recently launched AFBI Dairy Greenhouse Gas Calculator and included presentations from Catherine Watson, Tianhai Yan, Steven Morrison, Conrad Ferris and Duncan Anderson. An overview of the science behind the GHG calculator: how to use the calculator and examples outputs were presented.

After lunch Marco Winters from DairyCo presented an update on the Profitable Lifetime Index which is used to assess the genetic potential of dairy cattle within the UK. Details were also provided on the soon to be launched Spring Calving Index, which is aimed at compact spring calving dairy producers.

Following on, Steven Morrison from AFBI provided an update on the phenotypic and genetic progress of the NI dairy herd and also gave the audience a flavour of how the AFBI Hillsborough dairy herd has developed over the past 10-15 years.

Finally, Marco returned to stage and gave an update on how genomics are being more widely utilised within dairy cow breeding programmes.

Over 75 industry representatives attended the event with very positive feedback received

Notes to editors: 

AFBI carries out high quality technology research and development, statutory, analytical, and diagnostic testing functions for DARD and other Government departments, public bodies and commercial companies.

AFBI's Vision is “Scientific excellence in Northern Ireland …  serving the world”.

All media enquiries to AFBI Press Office.

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