This week’s episode of Farmland hears details of a Teagasc study into piglet development and features a sit-down interview with TD Michael Fitzmaurice, who feels that climate goals should take a back seat until Ireland can sort out its energy issues.
The programme, which is now available on the Agriland platform, can be viewed by clicking the YouTube link above.
In the episode, Edgar Garcia Manzanilla, head of Teagasc’s pig development department, speaks to Agriland editor Stella Meehan about the study, which aims to better understand what happens in the early stages of a piglet’s life, without touching the animals.
He explains that when pigs are touched, they can come under extreme stress, which is why the researchers are using samples of colostrum, saliva and faeces from the piglets, that are collected externally.
These samples can then be analysed to learn more about the animals’ gut health, which in turn could help farmers to predict illness among their herd and subsequently reduce antimicrobial resistance.
Later on Farmland
Later in the episode, independent TD for Galway Roscommon Michael Fitzmaurice discusses the importance of managing the energy crisis this winter and states it may need to take priority over climate concerns for some time.
He said that the government has a responsibility to make sure people have access to food, light and heat, and states that it should take whatever steps it can to ensure this.
The deputy also criticises the upcoming Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), for being “anti-rural Ireland” and says that it should be paused and altered, to offer more support to small, family farms.
This week’s episode of Farmland is now live on the Agriland platform. All previous episodes can be streamed via the award-winning digital platform, agriland.ie, and links will also be available across Agriland social media platforms.
All episodes of Farmland can be viewed by clicking here. Farmland – the podcast is also available on every major podcast platform.