Cornelius O’Leary
Project Title: SmartCalf – Effective and Labour efficient calf rearing systems for Irish dairy and dairy-beef farms
Biography: Labour availability and efficiency are growing challenges for Irish dairy farms, particularly during the busy spring period when calf rearing demands the most time and attention. The SmartCalf project aims to identify practical strategies to improve calf management, reduce labour bottlenecks, and enhance welfare outcomes on dairy and dairy-beef farms across Ireland.
Neil’s research focuses on examining and evaluating calf-rearing systems in terms of labour input, skills, facilities, and management practices. His work has three main aims: to explore farmer attitudes and perceptions of calf rearing, to measure labour time-use and welfare outcomes across commercial systems, and to develop key benchmarks for efficient and welfare-friendly calf care. The findings will provide actionable insights for farmers, advisers, and policymakers to support sustainable, high-welfare calf management in modern dairy systems.
Neil is a recent Agricultural Science graduate with a strong interest in animal welfare and sustainable livestock production. Growing up on a farm in North Cork and gaining hands-on experience through both on-farm work and industry work experience have made him eager to contribute meaningful, applied research that supports the future of Irish farming.
Teagasc email: Cornelius.OLeary@teagasc.ie
University email: cornelius.j.oleary@ucdconnect.ie
Teagasc Research Programme: Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Programme
Research Location: Moorepark Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre
University: University College Dublin
Teagasc Supervisor: Dr Conor Hogan
University Supervisor: Dr Monica Gorman
Funder: Teagasc