CALS Ireland Study Abroad 2018

From Dublin to Dairies

CALS students and faculty toured one of Ireland's agriculture research centers

We were at the foot of a castle. Perched on a tall hill, impenetrable walls enclosed a millenium old round tower, cathedral, and chapel. The exposed rock of the castle was mottled and weathered, splotched with white lichen and hardy moss. After a stormy day, swirls of heavy clouds shed curtains of windblown mist across the landscape. Wind and rain lashed around us, but the castle remained still, unmoving, as if part of the earth itself.

 “For those who are not faint-hearted” Dr. Ahmadzadeh called, “There is a striking view on the other side.” He pointed to a narrow, water bogged trail weaving around the sharply slanted hill. The ground had withstood hours of pouring rain, and was now saturated and unstable, shifting precariously under our feet. Undaunted, all eight students quickly fell in step behind him.

We treaded through the long grass, stepping over pockets of gleaming black rock encasing swirls of sandy limestone. We kept our eyes glued to the path, concentrating on selecting the safest route and maintaining our balance on the sloped and slippery hill, chuckling at one another’s squeals when we each crashed into the mud. Dark peat streaking our sides, we hopped over a fallen fence and found ourselves at a clearing.

Hedgerows outlined lush, deeply green pastures as far as the eyes could see. Dark clouds churned in the distance and sprayed fine mists on the horizon, curling to catch tufts of light as the sun descended. The only reminder of civilization was the formidable castle at our backs, and we quietly stood in awe of a landscape preserved through the trials of time.

In that moment, as we stood on top of the hill breathing the freshness of the wet soil and grass, battered by the wind and rain, peering out into a vast expanse, the distance of our travels finally sunk in.

We were a world away from Idaho.

Eight College of Agricultural and Life Science (CALS) students and three faculty members spent their spring break on a study abroad trip in Ireland. Throughout our week we explored agricultural sectors and heritage sites of the country.

Although Ireland is no larger than the state of West Virginia, it is an international powerhouse of milk and beef products, making the country’s agriculture dominated largely by bovine livestock. The dairy industry constitutes approximately 45 percent of agriculture within the country, and beef cattle makes up about 35 percent of the agricultural sector.

The country is unique in that producers can sustain a grass fed diet for cattle nearly 300 days a year. With a temperate climate and a plentiful average of 40-55 inches of rain every year, seeing healthy grass systems all across the nation are commonplace.

Ireland producers use the climate and environment to their advantage, accumulating an abundance of agricultural products. Ireland exports ninety percent of their dairy, and is the fifth largest exporter of beef in the world. We learned how the entire nation synchronizes its calving season with the grass growing cycle to optimize the amount of feed available to cows when they are in high demand for nutrition.

Ireland is also the most food secure nation in the world, investing nearly twice as much money in public research and development of agriculture per capita than the United States. As we visited research centers, extension farms, and educational institutions, we witnessed the tenacity of agricultural professionals around the country to innovate and maximize the productivity of their land without sacrificing its inherent integrity.

From walking the cobblestone streets of Dublin to tromping through bright green fields adjoining dairies, the study abroad offered us first hand insight in to the industry and culture of the Emerald Isle.

Written by Maggie Elliot