Scotland’s Rural
College
PhD Studentship - Ewe and lamb behaviour
and lamb mortality during the periparturient period – effects of nutrition and
genotype
The PhD Fellowship is a joint research project between
Teagasc, Athenry, Ireland and SRUC, Edinburgh. SRUC delivers comprehensive
skills, education and business support for Scotland’s land-based industry
founded on world class, sector leading research, education and consultancy. Our
1350 staff are located on 6 campuses and around 40 business units across Scotland
and the North of England. SRUC’s joint submission with the University of
Edinburgh to the Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science subpanel of the
Research Excellence Framework (REF2014) ranks top in the UK on research power.
Teagasc – the Agriculture and Food Development Authority in
Ireland - is the national body providing integrated research, advisory and
training services to the agriculture (farming & forestry) food industry and
rural communities. The Teagasc mission is to support science-based innovation
in the agri-food sector and the broader bioeconomy that will underpin
profitability, competitiveness and sustainability. Teagasc is a client-based
organisation employing approximately 1,100 staff at 55 locations. Teagasc has
significant resources in research and KT areas. At Athenry it has its main
sheep research facility consisting of 128 ha, 1180 breeding ewes and replacements.
Lamb
mortality is a significant welfare concern in sheep farming, and a constraint
to the profitability of sheep farms. This project will investigate the impact
of ewe nutrition in pregnancy on lamb mortality, and how this might be modified
by the age and genotype of the ewe. Most lamb mortality occurs in the first 24
hours after delivery, thus the project will focus on this period to understand
how ewe and management factors can influence relevant characteristics relating
to survivability. The student will conduct a risk assessment for lamb
mortality, identify the main causes of lamb death in Teagasc flocks, and conduct
focused experimental studies to understand the impact of nutrition, ewe age and
genotype on the expression of ewe and lamb behaviours at birth.
Students
are expected to have a good first degree (at least 2:1 or equivalent) in a
relevant area (such as biological subjects, agriculture, veterinary science). A
Masters degree in a relevant area would also be desirable as would practical
experience of working on a farm, especially with lambing ewes. This 4 year
studentship is due to commence around 1st September 2016. The
student will be based largely at Teagasc in Ireland, where the animal work will
be conducted, but will spend some time in Edinburgh to complete the behavioural
analyses. The fellowship provides a stipend of €16,600 per annum. The student will be registered
at the University of Edinburgh. The studentship is funded to pay the tuition
fees of UK/EU nationals only. Non UK/EU nationals must provide evidence of
funds to cover the international student tuition fee level (this would be
approximately £14,000 per year).
Online applications for
this post can be submitted via our website www.sruc.ac.uk/jobs
Alternatively application packs can be requested from audrey.johnstone@sruc.ac.uk Tel 0131 535 4028 quoting reference SRUC/1030678/Dwyer. Please note that CV’s will not be
accepted without a completed application form. If English is not an applicant’s
first language, a recent IELTS/TOEFL certificate should be submitted with the
application as evidence that the candidate meets the language requirements for
PhD study at Edinburgh University. To have an informal discussion about this
studentship, contact Prof Cathy Dwyer, cathy.dwyer@sruc.ac.uk,
+44 131 5359338 or Dr Tim Keady: Tim.keady@teagasc.ie
+353 91 845835
The
closing date for the return of applications is 5pm on 8th April 2016.