On Friday 1 March, four students from Dunshaughlin Community College, Co Meath, were announced as the overall winners of the 2024 Certified Irish Angus schools competition at an awards ceremony in Croke Park, Dublin.

Students Eoin O’Sullivan, Eric Allen, Liam Byrne and David Malone secured the win, after impressing the judges with their data-led approach to the prestigious cattle-rearing competition, which is now in its tenth year.

General manager of Certified Irish Angus, Charles Smith, said: “These young men displayed an immense passion and love for farming. They had a huge drive and quest for knowledge that drew them further and further into the science of farming.

“Their investigation of soil health and its impact on the production cycle of beef cattle was very impressive, in particular its impact on vaccination uptakes and ultimate animal health.”

Holistic approach

The winning group undertook a research project exploring a holistic approach to improving animal performance.

From the outset of the project, the students used data to inform how their calves would be reared.

They used the Alltech E-CO2 assessment tool to predict an outcome for their calves of 8.5kg CO2 per kg beef, which is significantly lower than the national average.

The runners-up in the 2024 competition were Sinéad Bracken, Chloe McDermott, Trása Bracken and Mary Ellen Colton from Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath.

The students researched the topic, exploring the opportunities of low carbon beef, and created a five-point plan covering all aspects of an animal’s journey, from farm to fork. The group also fundraised over €4,000 for Crumlin Children’s Hospital in a raffle as part of the project.

Read more here for further information on the projects and visit the Certified Irish Angus website.