Research Opportunities
PhD Opportunities
PhD position (4-year full-time)
Programme: Walsh Scholars Programme
Project title: SCIP: Sound Cow Innovation Programme – Piloting and Evaluating a Structured Lameness Control Programme for Irish Dairy Herds
Walsh Scholars Reference: 2024299
Supervisors:
Dr Muireann Conneely (Teagasc Moorepark)
(opens in a new window)Dr Eoin Ryan (UCD School of Veterinary Medicine)
Host institutions:
Teagasc Moorepark, Co. Cork (primary base)
University College Dublin (registration institution)
In collaboration with Animal Health Ireland
Start date: May 2026
Deadline: 25th February 2026
Funding:
Tax-free stipend of €25,000 per year, plus up to €6,000 per annum towards university fees. The scholarship is tenable for four years and includes support for training, travel, and professional development.
WS-Opportunity-ref-2024299
Project overview
Lameness is one of the most significant welfare and productivity challenges facing Irish dairy herds, causing pain and distress to cows while negatively impacting fertility, longevity, milk production, environmental sustainability, and farm profitability. Recent studies indicate lameness prevalence rates of 15–32% on the poorest-performing Irish dairy farms, highlighting substantial scope for improvement.
This PhD project aims to pilot and evaluate a structured lameness control programme on Irish dairy farms, assessing its feasibility, effectiveness, and transferability. The programme will include mobility scoring to identify lame cows, lesion recording, farm-level risk assessments, identification of targeted management interventions, and ongoing monitoring of outcomes over time.
In addition to technical evaluation, the project incorporates a social science component examining farmer behaviour, attitudes, and decision-making around lameness prevention and control. Understanding these human factors will be critical to developing practical, scalable strategies with strong on-farm uptake.
The successful candidate will work closely with the Hoof HealthCheck Technical Working Group of Animal Health Ireland, assist with on-farm implementation, collect and analyse data, and contribute to the evaluation and refinement of the control programme.
Eligibility
Applications are welcome from candidates with backgrounds in:
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Agricultural Science
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Veterinary Medicine
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Other relevant animal, biological, or agricultural disciplines
Requirements
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A minimum 2.1 honours degree (or expected) in a relevant discipline
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Experience of working with dairy farms
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A full driver’s licence valid in Ireland
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Strong written and spoken English
Desirable experience includes familiarity with dairy cow lameness, data processing, and data analysis. Candidates should be highly motivated, enthusiastic, and available to commence the PhD in May 2026.
How to apply
Applicants should submit the following by email:
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A comprehensive CV
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A letter of interest outlining motivation, qualifications, and relevant experience
Applications should be sent to:
Dr Natasha Browne – (opens in a new window)natasha.browne@teagasc.ie
Dr Eoin Ryan – (opens in a new window)eoin.g.ryan@ucd.ie
Closing date: 25th February 2026
Further information
For informal enquiries about the project, please contact:
Dr Natasha Browne (Teagasc) or Dr Eoin Ryan (UCD).
Full description available at this link.