Five schools chosen as finalists in Certified Irish Angus Schools' Competition
Comedian and broadcaster Mary-Claire Fitzpatrick at the Certified Irish Angus stand at the National Ploughing Championships where she met with Sinead Slevin, Carol Sheehy and Jill Sheehy, Scoil Chriost Rí, Portlaoise who are finalists in this year’s Certified Irish Angus schools’ competition. Picture: Finbarr O’Rourke
Five secondary schools have been chosen as finalists in this year's Certified Irish Angus Schools' Competition.
The five schools, in counties Tipperary, Limerick, Westmeath, Laois, and Cavan, were picked out of over 170 after several stages of the selection process.
The groups of students have each received five Irish Angus cross calves and will be exhibiting their projects for the full three-day National Ploughing Championships.
The Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition, run by Certified Irish Angus and its processor partners, ABP and Kepak, aims to encourage second-level students to gain an understanding of the considerable care and attention that is required to produce and market the highest quality beef for consumers.
In addition to rearing the calves, the students will complete research projects focusing on different aspects of farming, the food chain, and sustainability.
Loreto Secondary School, Clonmel students Emma Carey, Katie Butler, Sophie Dennehy, and Lucy Kearney form one of the successful groups. The group will explore 'using technology to raise awareness of health and safety'.
They plan on researching farmers’ knowledge of health and safety and creating an app to aid farmers and contractors in improving safety when hiring new staff.
Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan students Jack Larkin, Eoin Robinson, and Shane King will research ways of 'applying technology to improve Angus cattle breeding'.
They will demonstrate the use of ICBF evaluations to further trace Angus beef.
The group will be creating a podcast 'Angus to the Fore' where they will interview personnel in the agricultural sector and advocates for the Angus breed.
Scoil Chríost Rí, Portlaoise students Carol Sheehy, Sinead Slevin, and Jill Sheehy will research 'optimising sustainable animal nutrition for better Angus beef cattle'.
They will focus their research on reducing carbon emissions by using a fully traceable local input supply chain. The students also aim to explore the opportunities for linking tillage and beef enterprises to deliver mutual benefits.
St Clare’s College, Ballyjamesduff students Ellen McCaul, Nicole Briody, Blathnaid Farrelly, and Tara McCabe will focus on 'the importance of rearing healthy livestock' as their research project.
They will be educating farmers on the practical ways they can reduce the number of antimicrobial products used on their farms.
Villiers School, Limerick students Patrick Barry, Ben Atkinson, Simon Austin, and Seán O’Brien will explore 'mental health and wellbeing among farmers' which will investigate how young people think about farming and how this perception affects farmers.
The group will highlight to farmers how rearing the Angus breed can greatly benefit them mentally and physically.
Each of the finalists will receive the financial benefit involved in the selling of the animals to the processors on completion of the project. The winning students also receive an additional grant of €2,000 for their further education.
