My main area of interest lies in machine learning, deep learning and artificial intelligence and their applications in agriculture, specifically, data-driven phenotype prediction in dairy cattle.
Improvements in the health and productivity of livestock is key for the future sustainability of farming. The intake and utilisation of nutrients from the diet of the dairy cow plays an important role in maintaining the cow’s health, and the nutrients present within its milk also have important benefits for us as consumers.
The five CoEs are funded by the Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) and are part of the wider Scottish Government funded research portfolio, which is one of the largest for agri-environment research in the UK.
The CoEs, funded by the Scottish Government, work directly at the interface between policy and research, providing responsive outputs and outcomes in areas of high policy importance: climate change, animal disease outbreaks, plant health, water and knowledge exchange and impact. The Centres draw upon the wide range of up-to-date research expertise within the Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutes (SEFARI), universities, colleges, government agencies and research organisations across Scotland.
The GMP commits one hundred countries to reduce their methane emissions by at least 30% (based on 2020 levels) by 2030. Although carbon dioxide (CO2) tends to get the headlines, methane is more potent (1 kg methane is equal to 27 kg of CO2 in terms of the warming it causes) and shorter-lived greenhouse gas (half-life of 12 years rather than centuries). The majority of global methane emissions stem from human activities: fossil fuels (35%), landfills and waste (20%), and agriculture (40%).
The way we manage land and plan land-use change plays an integral role in the efforts for meeting climatic targets and for mitigating and adapting to climate change impacts. According to the current Land Use Strategy, the scale of future land-use change required is significant if we were to maximise the contribution of land towards a sustainable future for Scotland.
Status of Pollinators