Teagasc has announced today (Wednesday, March 2) that Dr. Laurence Shalloo will now lead its research and innovation programme focused on animals and grassland.
The programme carries out research on dairy, beef, sheep and pig animal bioscience and conducts studies on grassland.
Along with research staff, the programme includes knowledge transfer specialists who share findings with advisors and in turn farmers.
Shalloo will oversee teams in Teagasc bases in Athenry, Grange, Moorepark and Oak Park.
He graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) with a first class honours degree in agricultural science in 1999. Following this, he completed his PhD in 2004 on the institutional and technical changes in dairy farming.
Shalloo joined the research team in Moorepark that same year. Along with being a senior principal research officer, he is deputy director of the VistaMilk research centre and an adjunct professor at University College Cork (UCC).
Research
Commenting on the new appointment, director of Teagasc, Prof. Frank O’Mara stated:
“Teagasc science is helping farmers and the agri-food industry position itself to meet the challenges ahead, as the sector adapts to new situations.
“Laurence’s experience and strong research track record in animal based farming systems, combined with his work on climate change mitigation and his role as deputy director of VistaMilk, equips him well to lead this important Teagasc programme.”
O’Mara stated that Shalloo was widely known for his work in developing the economic breeding index (EBI), pasture profit index (PPI), PastureBase Ireland and the national carbon audit system for Irish dairy farms.
He has also played a key role in the development of the ‘A plus B minus C’ milk payment.
In the next five years, Shalloo and his team will be focused on increasing the sustainability of Irish livestock production systems.
This will include meeting the challenges of improving the living standards of farmers while reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs), enhancing biodiversity and improving water quality.