Championing sustainability: Alltech-supported team wins cattle-rearing competition

In the heart of County Meath, Ireland, four ambitious students from Dunshaughlin Community College embarked on a journey that would not only showcase their dedication to agriculture but also highlight the power of sustainable farming practices. Meet Liam Byrne, Eric Allen, Eoin O’Sullivan and David Malone, the dynamic quartet whose passion for farming propelled them to victory in the 10^th annual Certified Irish Angus School’s Competition.

Under the guidance of Alltech nutritionist Dr. Mj Doran, these students adopted a data-driven approach to their project, which was called “A Holistic Approach to Improving Animal Performance.” Armed with a mission to merge production efficiency with environmental sustainability, they set out to rear four Aberdeen Angus steers and minimize their carbon footprint throughout the process.

Alltech E-CO₂ was an essential tool used in this approach. Utilizing the Alltech E-CO₂ audit, the students meticulously analyzed every aspect of their cattle-rearing process, from nutrition to on-farm trials and soil analysis.

Particularly, they predicted how much CO₂ would be produced as a result of rearing their Angus cattle to slaughter. Then they ran multiple scenarios through the E-CO₂ audit, fine-tuning their approach in order to ensure maximal efficiency and minimal environmental impact. This involved nutritional advice from Dr. Doran, who formulated the cattle’s diets and collected the data required for the E-CO₂ report. Yea-Sacc^® was used in the animals’ diet.

The culmination of the students’ efforts came with the final CO₂ emission figure: a remarkable 8.5 kg CO₂ per kg of liveweight, significantly below the Irish national average. This achievement not only secured the students’ victory in the competition but also served as a testament to the transformative power of science-based sustainable farming practices.

“Liam, Eric, Eoin and David demonstrated just how useful the E-CO₂ sustainability report can be in planning for farming with a lower environmental impact,” Dr. Doran said. “This, along with precision nutrition advice from InTouch, was key to the students achieving beef production with a lower environmental impact. Comhghairdeas to the lads, they are great ambassadors for their school, their local area and Irish agriculture.”

As a global leader in animal nutrition and sustainability solutions, Alltech is proud to support initiatives that empower the next generation of farmers to embrace sustainable practices and drive positive change in the world.

About the author: 

Tien Le received her bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing communications from the University of Greenwich, London, with the University Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement. She started her career at Alltech in 2016 as part of the Corporate Career Development Program, spending time in both the U.S. and Ireland before taking a role in Vietnam, her home country. Tien presently serves as the editorial content manager for Alltech, a role that allows her to fulfill her passions for writing, innovation and sustainable agriculture.

I want to learn more about nutrition for beef cattle.