DairyCo appoints two new research managers

Two new Research Managers will be joining the DairyCo research and development (R&D) team this spring.

Dr Judith Capper will join DairyCo as Senior R&D Manager on 19 March. Judith gained a PhD at Harper Adams University College and is currently assistant professor of Dairy Science, at Washington State University. Previously she has worked for three years at Cornell, and her most recent UK post was as lecturer at Worcestershire College. Judith has a high international profile on production and sustainability aspects of dairy production.

Dr Jenny Gibbons, who will join as R&D Manager, completed her PhD at Scottish Agricultural College. She is currently leading a research project on dairy cattle welfare in Canada, and will join DairyCo on 2 April.

DairyCo head of research and development, Ray Keatinge, says “DairyCo has made a significant commitment to dairy research and development, investing in two Research Partnerships with a consortium of leading universities and research institutes. Both our new appointees will add strength and depth in key technical areas, as well as help carry forward DairyCo’s expanding R&D programme, designed to better address the needs of levy payers across the spectrum.

DairyCo Research Partnerships

DairyCo has committed 5 million to be spent over the next five years on two Research Partnerships which will deliver practical research to British dairy farmers.

The research and development is being conducted by a consortium of partners across Britain. The research will focus on two main areas: The first, Soil, Forage and Grassland, is led by the Scottish Agricultural College (partnering Harper Adams University College and Reading University). The second, Health, Welfare and Nutrition, is led by the University of Nottingham (partnering Harper Adams University College, Royal Veterinary College, Bristol University, Scottish Agricultural College, and University of Aberystwyth (IBERS)).

The results of the research will feed directly into DairyCo’s own technical guides and knowledge transfer activities, as well as being promoted for wider use by other industry stakeholders.

About DairyCo

DairyCo’s aim is to promote world class knowledge to British dairy farmers so they can profit from a sustainable future.

To achieve this DairyCo aims to:

Ensure farmers have access to world class information needed to improve competitiveness, GHG reduction and productivity

Ensure farmers have access to direct and indirect support to help them improve their profitability through better business management

Ensure that dairy farming is reducing its impact on the environment

Ensure farmers understand the benefits of breeding and use the related tools

DairyCo is funded entirely by milk producers, via a statutory levy on all milk sold off-farm, at the rate of 0.06p per litre. This provides an annual income of around 6.5m.

DairyCo is a division of the statutory levy board, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).