Posted 27 March 2014
Over €2 million investment into UCD’s Lyons Research Farm
UCD is constructing a new Dairy Research and Education Facility at Lyons Research Farm to support research programmes in dairy production including genetics, nutrition and herd health management.
With a capacity for 200 cows, the facility is part of a €2 million plus investment supported by Dairymaster, Devenish Nutrition, Glanbia, Munster Cattle Breeding Group, Progressive Genetics and the Irish Holstein Friesian Breeders Association.
The herd will be comprised of spring calving and autumn calving groups and the emphasis will initially be on maximizing the potential for milk production from grass, while also investigating the economic potential for concentrate supplementation at different milk price levels.
The research outputs from the new facility will be made available through publications, a dedicated website and Open Days on the farm. The facility will serve as an international showcase for the best in Irish dairy technology.
Construction will commence in May and will finish in early 2015, to enable the planned herd expansion to coincide with the abolition of milk quotas in April 2015.
The development will also provide new facilities for teaching students in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.
Lyons Research Farm consists of over 580 acres located near the village of Newcastle in Co Kildare. It is used for teaching and research field activities by the UCD College of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin.
(Produced by UCD University Relations)
