Shannon Farquhar, an accomplished graduate of SRUC Aberdeen Campus, has been awarded The Norvite Scholarship, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Established in 2013 to commemorate Norvite’s 40th anniversary, the scholarship aims to support fourth year students on the Agriculture, Animal Science and Rural Business Management courses.
Shannon also received the esteemed Malcolm Castle Memorial Prize for the best honours dissertation in agriculture.
Shannon’s dissertation undertook a comprehensive analysis of carbon audits from 822 suckler herd farms across Scotland. Hailing from a family farm managing 180 suckler cows, Shannon’s research was inspired by her participation in the suckler beef support scheme and her curiosity about potential variations within the industry.
Shannon said: “I split herds based on location and calving period. Across all farms, enteric fermentation, a natural process that occurs when cattle digest their feed in the rumen, was found to be the largest contributing factor.
“When the data set was split on location, hill suckler herds produced significantly more carbon per weight of output. When I investigated this further, factors influencing these systems included reduced purchased concentrates feeds which may have resulted in a slower finishing and growth period.
“Overall, output may also have been affected by pasture quality, herd genetics, herd health and overall management. However, the carbon output figures do not express the vital part that hill systems play in producing a high-quality protein source from significantly poorer quality forages.
“In terms of the future of reducing emissions from cattle, new feed additives which will naturally reduce methane emissions provide an exciting opportunity for the industry. I hope that, with new feeds and improved management, beef farming can be viewed as a positive method of food production as opposed to a problem.”
"The work Shannon has done with Agrecalc could not be more topical, as agriculture faces the challenge of addressing its carbon emissions. Shannon’s focus on the Scottish suckler herd is very relevant as this forms a pillar of Scottish agriculture and is significant to Norvite’s business."
David McClelland, Norvite’s Technical Director, said: “I am delighted to continue our support for this award.
“Over the years dissertations have covered a wide variety of topics investigating the effect of a variety of nutritional additives, physical feed distribution and benchmarking physical performance and economic performance.
“The work Shannon has done with Agrecalc could not be more topical, as agriculture faces the challenge of addressing its carbon emissions. Shannon’s focus on the Scottish suckler herd is very relevant as this forms a pillar of Scottish agriculture and is significant to Norvite’s business.
“Measuring and understanding greenhouse gas emissions is the first step towards managing our impact and reaching mandated Net Zero targets. I would like to congratulate Shannon for her work, which marks her as a student of distinction, and wish her well as she starts her career with SAC Consulting.”
"Overall, output may also have been affected by pasture quality, herd genetics, herd health and overall management. However, the carbon output figures do not express the vital part that hill systems play in producing a high-quality protein source from significantly poorer quality forages."
Alex Hilton, SRUC’s Honours Project Coordinator at Aberdeen, said: “Shannon has used the findings from her project to update Agrecalc which will assist farmers trying to reduce their carbon footprints.
“Industry-led projects like this are helpful in developing a student’s professional skills as well as providing links with potential employers.
“I am delighted Norvite is continuing to support this award in 2023-24. This is a great opportunity for students to work with the company and to research something that could offer benefits to the wider industry.
The winner has received a financial prize, and will also benefit from valuable advice and support from staff at Norvite. Shannon is now working as a Trainee Agricultural Consultant with SAC Consulting (part of SRUC).
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