Sustainability and farm efficiency are high on the agenda in projects at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) 2022, say organisers.

The 58th BTYSTE officially opened on Wednesday, with a virtual platform where members of the public can access the event for free.

Students participating have demonstrated a growing awareness of sustainability within farming practices and have examined the use of natural fertilisers to improve crop production on farms, as well as the carbon content of the soil.

Awareness

The projects are said to demonstrate an “awareness of the intersection of technology across farming practices”.

Some students have also investigated solutions to improve farm safety and efficiency.

There are also a number of projects included in this year’s exhibition that focus on improving farm animal and livestock health.

Agricultural projects

Tech chicken motel

Students at Desmond College, Limerick, have developed an easily transportable, environmentally friendly, safe mobile chicken coop that provides the animals with the space they need, while encouraging them to lay more.

Bottomless bucket

A group from St Joseph's Secondary School, Meath, have created the 'bottomless bucket'.

The invention acts as a sensory device installed in a Lamlac milk replacer bucket. Farmers using it will receive a text when the bucket needs to be refilled.

PTO safety stopper

Students at Meánscoil na mBráithre Criostaí, Kilkenny, have investigated the use of a remote emergency PTO stopper button to improve farm safety.

Alternative to synthetic fertilisers

Students at Roscommon Community College have investigated a novel alternative to synthetic fertilisers for a “future of sustainable agriculture in Ireland”.

They aim to find a more sustainable and cost-effective method of keeping nutrients in the soil.

Vertical farming

Students at St Brigid's Secondary School, Kerry, have investigated if a vertical farming unit from locally sourced recyclable materials could be built for use in schools globally.

Nature’s solution to foot rot

A group from Moate Community School, Westmeath, has made a sheep feeder which will administer an antibacterial foot soak comprised of native Irish plants to suppress the onset of sheep foot rot.

Mixed species swards

Students at Loreto Secondary School, Meath, have examined if mixed species sward grazing has an effect on milk yield in Irish dairy herds.

The group has compared its research to milk yielded through “traditional monoculture intensive grazing”.

Readers can learn more about these and other agricultural projects from some of Ireland’s most creative secondary school students here.

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