Sarah Woodmartin – Sheep Conference 2025

Teagasc Researcher

Sarah began her research career in 2020 after graduating from UCD with a degree in Animal Science. She pursued a PhD through the Walsh Scholars Programme, under the supervision of her supervisors Dr. Fiona McGovern, Dr. Philip Creighton (Teagasc) and Professor Tommy Boland (UCD).

Having recently submitted her PhD thesis, Sarah is now working as a Grassland Nutrition Researcher at Teagasc Athenry, Co. Galway.

Sarah’s PhD research focused on the addition of clovers (white clover or red clover) or herbs (chicory or plantain) to a perennial ryegrass sward in an intensive sheep production system. Feed intake and digestibility, animal performance, sward quality, methane output and meat eating quality were monitored for the duration of the study.

Sarah’s presentation will focus primarily on the findings from her PhD research with an emphasis on enhancing the sustainability of our pasture-based sheep production systems through offering more botanically diverse sward types.