Finola graduated from University College Dublin in 1997 with a degree in veterinary medicine. She spent the following 11 years working in various mixed practices in Ireland, UK and New Zealand, and during this time developed a keen interest in the dairy industry. Working with large dairy herds in New Zealand provided an invaluable insight into some of the challenges associated with herd expansion and disease control. While working in practice she undertook a Masters in Science in Livestock Health and Production through the University of London, which she completed in 2006. Finola joined the Teagasc research team in Moorepark in 2008, as the mastitis research officer. She co-ordinated and managed a pilot study evaluating a team-based approach to mastitis control, as well as collaborating on other research projects. She has a keen interest and experience in international models of mastitis control. While working for Teagasc she commenced working as Programme Manager for CellCheck, and joined the AHI staff in May 2013 to continue working in that role. Finola has been awarded a 2014 Nuffield scholarship, to explore the topic of building strong professional teams and networks among rural service providers. Contact Finola by email here.

Luke is originally from Glasgow in Scotland. He graduated from Glasgow Veterinary School in 2003 (BVMS) and after a short period in general practice he undertook an internship within the large animal clinical studies department at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in University College Dublin. In 2005 he then embarked on a European College of Bovine Health Management residency-training programme. In 2007 he took up his current role as a lecturer in Population Medicine within the unit of Herd and Veterinary Public Health at UCD. In 2008, he attained further specialist qualifications by receiving a diploma from the European College in Bovine Health Management. Luke has an interest in all aspects of herd health and his research areas include the creation and delivery of dairy herd health management systems, disease investigation strategies, simulation modelling, animal health economics and veterinary education. He is currently a member of several Animal Health Ireland technical working groups working to develop control programmes for infectious diseases and mastitis.

Alan is originally from a dairy farm in Rathkeale Co. Limerick.

He is now based in the Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Limerick working with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

He graduated from UCD in 1991 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine. In 2004 he completed a Masters degree in the field of bovine herd health.

His qualifications include MVB MVM. Initially after qualification he worked for five years in general practice in Derry and Tyrone.

Alan is “happy to be involved with Animal Health Ireland, trying to improve animal health and welfare standards in the island of Ireland”.

Brendan is currently based in Clonroche with Glanbia as a Mastitis/Cell Count Manager.

He completed a BSc from NUI Maynooth, and is a member of IMQCS (as a milking machine technician), and a member of FMA (Farm Managers Association). He is a Mastitis Manager with Glanbia and has previously worked with Premier Dairies as a milking machine technician for 12 years. Prior to this he worked as a farm manager in Wicklow for 3 years. He is pleased to be involved with the AHI CellCheck program. His main driver to becoming involved was his experience of the EuroMilk programme. He feels that for too long farmers were receiving differing advice from different sources and believes that this can only lead to confusion.

Brendan feels that “there needs to be a holistic approach to cell count problems and it needs the involvement of all stakeholders (vets, milking machine technicians, Teagasc advisers, co-op advisors). If we can get the farmers to participate in this program we will greatly reduce cell count problems and both farmers and processors will benefit from this”.

Don is originally from Cork. He is based in Clonakilty, Co. Cork with Teagasc.

He graduated from UCD in 1994 with a BAgrSc (Hons) degree from UCD. Previously he has worked with Riverview Veterinary Clinic in Bandon, Co. Cork as an Agricultural Consultant covering, nutrition and mastitis issues. He joined Teagasc in 2006 and worked on a joint program with Dairygold and Carbery specialising in milk quality issues such as SCC/mastitis, thermoduric control, TBC’s and sediment issues.

Don sees AHI as “an important vehicle to co-ordinate a multi-disciplined panel to deliver a consistent message for farmers and industry to manage milk quality issues”.

Edmond is CEO of Dairymaster, one of the leading dairy innovation and technology companies in the world. Innovation in agriculture is his passion in life and he has dedicated his career to making dairy farming more profitable, enjoyable and sustainable. A Mechanical Engineer by profession, Edmond joined the family business in 1998, whilst completing his engineering degree in the University of Limerick, before going on to complete a PhD in UCD where he focused on the area of milking performance. Edmond re-imagined dairy farming, concentrating on how to reduce the work load, clean up the processes, learn from nature and translate that learning into technological innovations that would make it a rewarding and fulfilling career. The level of patent applications (over 50 so far) speaks to his commitment to innovation. Through his vision and direction Dairymaster were awarded a hat-trick of Innovation Awards for their cloud based MooMonitor+ across the globe in the last year. Dairymaster was also awarded the Gold Medal for innovation at Eurotier, Germany for their Swiftflo Revolver Goat Rotary milking parlour. Most recently Dairymaster were awarded both the software and overall innovation awards for their newly launched Swiftflo Commander at the National Ploughing Championships. Dairymaster was most recently announced as the winner of the top technology award at the national Agribusiness Awards held in Dublin, for the Swiftflo Commander. Dr Edmond Harty was announced as the inaugural winner of the Agribusiness Leader Award. To top an already great night Dairymaster was also named the Equipment & Machinery Agribusiness of the Year winner and Dairy Agribusiness of the Year. Through his leadership and, in particular, the advances and innovations he has introduced, Dairymaster is now a world leader in the development and manufacture of dairy farm equipment.

Frank is originally from Meath and is a vet based in Trim in a general practice. He graduated from UCD in 1983 with an MVB, MRCVS. He completed a Masters in Applied Science (Food Science), in UCD 1999 - part of which included a thesis entitled “Application of HACCP Systems: interface with GMP”. He completed a diploma entitled “Essential Trainer Skills” from NUI Galway in 2000 designed to provide key skills to deliver training and education in the food and agricultural industry. The practice in Meath provides veterinary clinical services and also promotes herd health and disease prevention strategies to farmer clients. Frank is also a part time lecturer at Dublin Institute of Technology delivering courses in meat technology, risk analysis and food safety.

He is the farm and food animal continuing editor of the Irish Veterinary Journal. He is a past president and currently the chair of the “One Health” committee of Veterinary Ireland.

“I really look forward to the Cellcheck TWG meetings where I can interact with others from varying backgrounds.I usually learn a lot, not only about technical issues but also about project management and taking the macro view. I get to understand the variety of alternate opinions and I contribute in a small way where I can. I get satisfaction from this.”

“CellCheck is a microcosm of how the future vet will interact with the farm. The vet will be part of management team monitoring and measuring various components influencing SCC performance and taking actions where needed to reduce SCC. The vet will be a trainer, act as facilitator in multidisciplinary teams in addition to using core skills around cow health and welfare and food safety advice and management.”

“It is likely that processor and the consumer will have transparent access to activities pre-farm gate. Cow hygiene, milking routines, welfare aspects and antimicrobial usage will all be under scrutiny by the entire food chain. Indeed efficiency around mastitis will contribute to sustainability on farm. “ Frank hopes “that CellCheck will provide farmers, vets and advisors with a roadmap to help reduce or manage cell count and mastitis issues on farm. Success will be rewarding not only through maximising farm profits by producing low cell count milk but also by providing milk processors with a premium raw material for high quality dairy products”.

George is originally from Co. Laois. He is currently working with Teagasc as a Dairy Specialist based at Oak Park in Carlow. He graduated from UCD with a B. Agr. Sc. (1^st Hons) in 1990, and completed two Masters Degrees in Facilitation Skills and Reproductive Physiology at UCD. He joined Teagasc in 1993 and liaises between research and the extension services.  His Masters Degrees complement his specialisms in Teagasc where he focuses on dairy cow reproduction and facilitation skills training.

Kevin is originally from a dairy farm in Whitechurch, Co. Cork.

He graduated from UCC in 1998 with a BA Economics and an HDip in Software Engineering in 1999.

He has also completed two years of the Farm Apprenticeship programme.

He has worked with ICBF since 2002 and is currently involved in the HerdPlus breeding program which is designed to provide a range of farm management aids including EBI reports, Eurostar reports etc to farmers. He is involved in the design/development and support of all the HerdPlus reports and web applications.

“My involvement in the CellCheck program with AHI revolves around the design and roll out of SCC/Mastitis reports which will help identify problem areas and point them to areas where corrective action needs to be taken”

Patrick is originally from a dairy farm in South Tipperary and is now based in Munster with Munster Herd Health.

He graduated from UCD with a BAgrSc (Hons) in 2005. He completed a PhD with UCD and Teagasc, Moorepark in 2010. The PhD was titled the ‘A study of the somatic cell count (SCC) of Irish milk from herd management and environmental perspectives’, and included work on 400 dairy farms identifying management practices that were related to reduced SCC as well as work on the milk loss due to SCC. He currently works for Munster Herd Health, and is involved in the SCC reduction programme liaising with farmers in order to reduce SCC on farm.

Patrick believes that “AHI will be good for farmers as it has brought all aspects of mastitis control to the table for discussion allowing the putting together of best practices. The plan to move all personnel involved in mastitis control in one direction will be of great benefit to farmers and remove the confusion with regard to mastitis and SCC”.

Willie is originally from a dairy farm in West Cork.

He is based in Bandon, Co. Cork where he is a vet in a large animal practise.

He graduated from UCD Veterinary College in 1994. He has worked in general practice throughout Northern Ireland, Wales, England, New Zealand and Ireland. His primary focus over the last ten years has been on milk quality. “Our practice has been testing milking machines for 30 years and we have a laboratory which does cultures and sensitivities for our farmers, external veterinary clinics and co-ops.”

He is happy to be involved with AHI and the CellCheck program because “I believe this is a novel approach where all the stakeholders are working together to a common goal of creating ‘Food Ireland’".

Pádraig is originally from a dairy farm in Newcastle West, Co Limerick and is currently working with Teagasc in the Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation Centre in Grange Co. Meath. He obtained a Diploma in Dairy Husbandry and Management and then went on to qualify as a Farm Manager through the Farm Apprentship Board. He worked in Warrenstown Agricultural College as Dairy Herd Manager for a number of years before joining Teagasc in 2001 as a Dairy Technician with the Dairy Specialist Unit. One of his current roles is delivering Milking Skills Training to milking operators, farmers and students nationwide in conjunction with Animal Health Ireland and Farm Relief Services. He is also a registered member of the Irish Milk Quality Co-operative Society as a milking machine technician In 2016 Pádraig graduated from Dundalk Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree in Sustainable Agriculture.

Catherine McAloon qualified in 2011 from UCD and worked in a mixed practice in Ireland for 3 years before returning to UCD to undertake a residency programme in the Herd Health Department of the School of Veterinary Medicine.  In 2017, Catherine successfully passed her European Board examinations and is a European Specialist in Bovine Health Management.  She is also a RCVS recognised specialist in cattle health and production.  Catherine currently is working as an Assistant Professor in the Herd Health and Animal Husbandry section of UCD.

Michelle grew up on a dairy farm in East Cork and has been directly involved in farming from a young age which led her to complete a Degree in Agricultural Science at UCD in 1999. Following on from this she completed a Master’s Degree in Bovine Reproduction with Teagasc at Moorepark Research Centre in 2001. After a brief spell in industry she returned to UCD to complete a Degree in Veterinary Medicine in 2008. For the past 12 years she has worked predominantly in mixed practice in Ireland where she further enhanced her interest in herd health on dairy farms. She particularly enjoyed working with the farmers to effectively manage infectious diseases in their herds through improved diagnostics, education and targeted therapies. Michelle is heavily involved in showing and breeding Holstein Friesian cattle at club and national level and uses this opportunity to promote animal health and welfare. Furthering her interest in the Agricultural and Food industries, she is currently undertaking a Diploma in Food Production at UCC. Contact Michelle by email here