Rory Kavanagh

Rory’s research will investigate how Ireland’s dairy breeding scheme can be designed to maximise long-term genetic progress while maintaining sustainability across all three pillars.
Rory will investigate the factors driving genetic gain including how elite sires and dams are selected, the amount of genetic variation available for selection, mating decisions and the way breeding objectives are defined. This will include stochastic simulations and studying gametic variance for the production of elite young bulls, while attempting to understand the different goals and circumstances of Irish dairy farms.

Using quantitative genetics, statistical modelling and stochastic simulation, Rory will test alternative breeding strategies and assess their effects on genetic gain, diversity, selection accuracy and generation interval. An important aim will be to understand how farmers’ actual breeding decisions relate to economic values and selection criteria, and whether more flexible, farm-specific approaches could improve breeding outcomes.

Ultimately, the research will help develop evidence-based strategies for designing Ireland’s dairy breeding schemes, supporting continued genetic gain while maintaining resilient and efficient grass-based dairy production.