Focus on research: Prof Donagh Berry, Vistamilk
VistaMilk is an agrifood research centre co-funded by Research Ireland and the Dept of Agriculture, Food & The Marine, and led by Teagasc from its base in Fermoy. In this interview director Prof Donagh Berry talks about how his research takes a long view of livestock.
Can you tell us about your background?
I come from a farming background and I’m still an active cattle, sheep and horse farmer. I undertook my undergraduate in agricultural science at University College Dublin followed by a PhD in statistical genetics at Wageningen University, the Netherlands. I continued my education with an MSc in bioinformatics and a diploma in leadership. Since then, I’ve taken several international sabbaticals and very much value this international dimension as a means of expanding my network and gaining new insights. It also provides a point of differentiation for employment purposes.
What is the key focus area of your research?
My research programme is dedicated to achieving sustainable, long-lasting multi-generational improvements in the economic, social, and environmental fabric of the Irish livestock sector. This involves developing and evaluating cutting-edge tools to measure and model various animal and environmental characteristics, as well as creating and implementing genetic and DNA-based technologies to rank individual cattle and sheep by their projected profitability. Additionally, my work focuses on designing tools to support timely, value-driven decision-making. A significant aspect of my programme is extension and education, where these tools are co-developed with end users to ensure practical application and to accelerate the rate of genetic gain.
When did you become interested in DNA?
My background is predominantly on the tracing of ancestry of individual animals using sophisticated statistical approaches – much like big family trees but for millions of animals. The incorporation of DNA information into breeding decisions really became a reality in 2008 with the commercial availability of low-cost tools that screen the DNA profile of animals at 50,000 locations on their DNA. Ireland now boasts the second largest cattle DNA bank globally. DNA provides more precise estimates of the relationship between individuals, which is a key for breeding programmes. For example, non-identical twins could actually be unrelated. Each twin inherited half their DNA from their mother but each could have been a different half.
Are there any applications for your research?
All Irish cattle and sheep producers, and more recently horse breeders, rely on the technologies and tools we have developed to inform their breeding decisions. These innovations have contributed €3.5 billion to the dairy sector alone since the turn of the century. Their practical applications include verifying and identifying parentage, ensuring traceability of animal products, detecting and monitoring congenital and lethal genetic conditions (such as identifying animals with abnormal chromosome counts), managing breeding programmes, providing tailored mating recommendations, determining an animal’s breed, and delivering more accurate estimates of an animal’s genetic potential.
Are there any future directions/trends that excite you in your area?
What we observe in ourselves or animals is the result of both DNA and environmental factors, such as diet. Our ultimate goal is to achieve what is known as personalised management, where the care and management of individual animals or groups are tailored to their genetic makeup. Since an animal’s DNA remains constant throughout its life, these decisions can be made as early as birth. For instance, animals genetically predisposed to a particular disease can be prioritised for vaccination, while those with a genetic tendency for rapid growth can be provided with a specialised diet designed to optimise the expression of growth-related genes.
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