Dr Stephen Whelan

Cert AgrSc BAgrSc PhD

Programme Director

Wexford Campus
e: stephen.whelan@setu.ie | t: 053 915833
Twitter @cownutridoc

From 2008 to 2012, Dr Whelan undertook a PhD in animal nutrition at UCD.  During this time he conducted countless research trials and successfully obtained funding for updates to the nutrition lab at UCD Lyons Research Farm. He also delivered nutrition and animal management modules to undergraduates in agricultural science and veterinary medicine.

From 2012 to 2014, he was the main research scientist on an Enterprise Ireland funded project examining mineral delivery technologies for ruminant animals. he also continued my role as a college lecturer at UCD and was interim coordinator for the Dairy Business Degree.

Prior to joining SETU Carlow, Dr Whelan was Research and Development manager for dairy nutrition at AHDB dairy. This was a wide ranging portfolio including the environmental impact of livestock production, the nutritional qualities of dairy product as well as delivery of various campaigns on the nutrition of the lactating dairy cow and the replacement heifer.

  • Research Interests
  • Publications
  • Research Supervision
  • Engagement and Collaboration

Research Interests

  • Factors affecting the sustainability of animal production systems
  • Reducing the environmental impact of animal production systems
  • Consumer attitudes towards and understanding of sustainable food production
  • Nutritional manipulation of animal production and animal health
  • Improving our understanding of the nutritional value of byproducts from micro-breweries and micro-distilleries

Publications

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles


Whelan, S.J., Grace, C., Jacquier, J.C., O’Riordan, D., Boland, T. M., Gath, V. P., Rujauria, G. and Pierce, K. M. 2019. Effect of supplementary copper source on animal performance and copper status in growing beef heifers. Animal Feed Science and Technology (in press).

Fahey, A.G., Rafferty, D., Grace, G., Donaldson, D., Whelan, S.J., Lynch, B., Pierce, K., Mulligan, F. 2019. Feeding a marine-based rumen buffer increases milk production and decreases time of low reticulo-rumen pH in grazing dairy cows offered perennial ryegrass-based pasture. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 256, 114255

S. A. Condren, A. K. Kelly, T.M. Boland, M.B. Lynch, S. J. Whelan, G. Rajauria, and K. M. Pierce. The effect of by-product inclusion level and concentrate feeding rate on milk production and composition, pasture dry matter intake and nitrogen excretion of mid-late lactation spring calving cows grazing a perennial ryegrass-based pasture. Journal of Dairy Science. In press

Whelan, S.J., W. Carey, T.M. Boland, M.B. Lynch, A.K. Kelly, G. Rajauria and K.M. Pierce. 2017 Effect of by-product inclusion level on milk production, nutrient digestibility and excretion and rumen fermentation parameters in lactating dairy cows offered a pasture based diet. Journal of Dairy Science. 100(2):1055-1062

Whelan, S.J., F.J. Mulligan, V.P. Gath, B. Flynn and K.M. Pierce. 2014. Short communication: Effect of dietary manipulation of crude protein content and nonfibrous-to-fibrous-carbohydrate ratio on energy balance in early-lactation dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 97(11):7220-4

Pierce, K.M., R.M. Al Ibrahim, R.A. Palladino, S.J. Whelan, F.J. Mulligan. 2013. Short communication: Effect of timing of introduction to pasture post calving and supplementation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae on milk fatty acid profiles in early lactation dairy cows. Food and Nutrition Sciences 4(9a):45-50.

Whelan, S. J., F. J. Mulligan, B. Flynn, J.J. Callan and K. M. Pierce. 2013. Effect of forage source and a supplementary methionine hydroxy analogue on rumen fermentation parameters in lactating dairy cows offered a low crude protein diet. Animal Feed Science and Technology 183(1–2):62-66.

Al Ibrahim, R. M., S. J. Whelan, K.M. Pierce, D. P. Campion, V. P. Gath, and F. J. Mulligan. 2013. Effect of timing of postpartum introduction to pasture and supplementation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae on milk production, metabolic status, energy balance and some reproductive parameters in early lactation dairy cows. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 97:105-114.

Whelan, S.J., F.J. Mulligan and K.M. Pierce. 2013. Nitrogen efficiency in contrasting dairy production systems. Advances in Animal Bioscience 4(Supplements1):9-14.

Whelan, S. J., K. M. Pierce, B. Flynn, and F. J. Mulligan. 2012. Effect of supplemental concentrate type on milk production and metabolic status in early-lactation dairy cows grazing perennial ryegrass-based pasture. Journal of Dairy Science 95(8):4541-4549

Conference Proceedings and Papers

Whelan, S. J., F. J. Mulligan, J. J. Callan, and K. M. Pierce. 2010. The effect of forage source and supplementary rumen protected methionine on nitrogen balance in autumn calved dairy cows offered a low crude protein diet. in Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science. British Society of Animal Science, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Whelan, S. J., K. M. Pierce, J. J. Callan, and F. J. Mulligan. 2010. The effect of dietary crude protein, supplementary methionine and starch source on milk yield and composition in early lactation grazing cows. Page 396 in 61st Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Whelan, S. J., F. J. Mulligan, B. Flynn, and K. M. Pierce. 2010. The effect of forage source and supplementary rumen protected methionine on the efficiency of nitrogen use in autumn calving dairy cows. Page 396 in 61st annual meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Whelan, S. J., F. J. Mulligan, J. J. Callan, and K. M. Pierce. 2010. Effect of forage source and supplementary methionine on nitrogen balance and in-vitro ammonia emissions in dairy cows offered low crude protein diets. Page 105 in Climate for Change. Teagasc Publications, Dublin, Ireland.

Pierce, K. M., S. J. Whelan, J. J. Callan, and F. J. Mulligan. 2011. Effect of supplementary concentrate type on energy balance and blood metabolites in early lactation dairy cows offered grazed pasture. in ADSA-ASAS Joint Animal Meeting. Journal of Dairy Science, 94, E-Supplement 1, New Orleans, USA.

Whelan, S. J., K. M. Pierce, B. Flynn, and F. J. Mulligan. 2011. Concentrate type affects nitrous oxide emissions from pasture based dairy production systems. Page 55 in Agricultural Research Forum 2011. Teagasc Publications, Offaly, Ireland

Whelan, S. J., K. M. Pierce, J. J. Callan, B. Flynn, and F. J. Mulligan. 2011. Supplementary concentrate type affects nitrogen balance in early lactation dairy cows offered grazed pasture. in ADSA-ASAS Joint Animal Meeting. Journal of Dairy Science, 94, E-Supplement 1, New Orleans, USA.

Whelan, S. J., F. J. Mulligan, J. J. Callan, and K. M. Pierce. 2011. Effect of forage source and a supplementary methionine hydroxy analogue on rumen fermentation parameters. Page 80 in 62nd Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Stavanger, Norway.

Whelan, S. J., F. J. Mulligan and K.M. Pierce. 2012. Nitrogen efficiency in contrasting dairy systems. Alltech Dairy Solutions Symposium, University College, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Whelan, S. J., F. J. Mulligan, V. P. Gath, B. Flynn, J. Callan, and K. M. Pierce. 2012. Dietary manipulation of crude protein and starch content affects energy balance in early lactation dairy cows. in ADSA-ASAS Joint Animal Meeting. Journal of Dairy Science, 95, E-Supplement 2, 198. Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Whelan, S. J., F. J. Mulligan, B, Flynn, J. J. Callan, and K. M. Pierce. 2012. Dietary protein as a regulator of energy metabolism in early lactation. Page 33 in Nutritional Management in Early Lactation- 2012 International Dairy Nutrition Symposium, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Whelan, S.J., T.M. Boland, J.C. Jacquier, V.P. Gath and K.M. Pierce. 2014. Effect of supplementary copper source on copper status in growing beef heifers offered a diet naturally high in copper antagonists. in ADSA-ASAS Joint Animal Meeting. Journal of Dairy Science, 97, E-supplement 1, 343. Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Carey, B., T.M. Boland, S.J. Whelan, G. Rajauria and K.M. Pierce. 2015. The effect of increasing level of by-product inclusion on milk production, milk composition, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen excretion in early lactation grazing dairy cows. In ADSA-ASAS Joint Animal Meeting. Journal of Dairy Science, abstract 853. Orlando, Florida, USA.

S.A. Condren, S.J. Whelan, T.M. Boland, G. Rajauria. 2016. The effect of by-product inclusion and concentrate feeding level on milk production and composition, pasture dry matter intake, body weight and body condition score of mid-late lactation spring calving grazing dairy cows. In ADSA-ASAS Joint Animal Meeting. Journal of Dairy Science, abstract 1411. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Whelan, S.J., K.M. Pierce and F.J. Mulligan, 2017. Strategies to improve nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows. In RAMIRAN meeting, 2017, Wexford

Presentations made to the agricultural community

Crude protein nutrition of the contemporary dairy cow, presentation of AHDB Dairy funded research at the RABDF Livestock Show, July, 2015

The energy and protein system for Irish beef and dairy production, lecture and practical demonstration to members of the Irish feed industry partaking in the Teagasc / UCD FETAC course, February 2011, 2012 and 2013

The Irish beef and dairy industry, presentation to members of Arasco Feed, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest feed companies and members of Celtic Sea Minerals, November 2011

Nutritional management of the transition dairy cow, invited talk to farmers and milk suppliers of Connaught Gold, Alltech / Connaught Gold Dairy Symposium, November 2011

Dairy research at UCD, invited talk to attendees of the DSM Dairy Symposium, May 2012

Nitrogen efficiency in contrasting dairy production systems, invited talk to members of the Irish dairy industry, Alltech Dairy Symposium, June 2012

Dietary protein as a regulator of energy metabolism in early lactation, invited talk to members of the Dutch dairy industry, Wageningen University International Dairy Symposium, October 2012

Presentations made to the Agricultural Community

Research Supervision

Areas of interest as a supervisor include
  • Presidents Research Fellowship: Understanding consumer attitudes toward sustainable food choices
  • DAFM Research Stimulus Fund: M.Agr.Sc. on the effect of increasing amounts of by-products on milk production, milk composition, nutrient digestibility and N excretion in early-mid lactation dairy cows

Engagement and Collaboration

  • Worked with Wexford County Council on their annual Science Week festival since 2017 demonstrating important aspects of agricultural production to the general public
  • Teagasc / DAFM / TUD research supervisor on the DABBINGCAP project- which aims to provide an improved understanding of the use of Irish produced grains in the brewing and distilling process as well as understanding how various processes affect the value of by-products from the industry.