The Pig Health Society

The Pig Health Society was founded in 1969. Its aims are the advancement and dissemination of knowledge concerning all aspects of pig health and production. Membership is open to all interested in the aims of the Society.

~ Supporting the Irish Pig Industry
~ Dissemination of Information
~ Promotion of New Ideas

Each year the Irish Pig Health Society holds its annual symposium and trade fair. Industry professionals are invited to the event to speak on relevant topics. The trade exhibitors consist of all the major pig industry service providers.

Committee Members

President

Peter Duggan (Bord Bia)

Peter Duggan is the outgoing President of the Irish Pig Health Society. Peter hails from a mixed farming background in County Laois, where his family predominately focus on tillage and livestock production. Peter has extensive experience in the Irish food industry.

Peter currently works in the marketing team in Bord Bia, working on activating various promotional programmes of activity and identifying further opportunities to promote Irish Food and Drink in export markets. Peter is keen to further develop opportunities for the different actors within the Irish food supply chain.

Vice President

Jessica Connolly (JMW Farms) 

Jessica Connolly has been working with JMW Farms since 2018 where she began working part-time on a 2500 sow breeding site. She worked on this site until she completed her undergraduate degree in agriculture in 2020, then she took up the role as research and development coordinator, running various trials across all aspects of the business, from sows to finishers.

Since completing her undergraduate degree, she has since undertaken a MSc degree through University of Glasgow on a part-time basis, studying animal nutrition, specializing in monogastrics.

In her (limited) spare time, she rear calves at home and competes in showjumping.

Treasurer

Hazel Rooney (Alltech)

Hazel Rooney joined Alltech in 2020 as the pig technical coordinator and is responsible for the development of technical solutions for pigs for the European marketplace, working closely with the Alltech sales, research, and marketing teams. Prior to joining Alltech, Hazel received a Ph.D. in Applied Swine Nutrition from University College Dublin and the Teagasc Pig Development Department.

Secretary

Hannah Ryan

From a pig and dairy farming background in South Tipperary, Hannah farms alongside her father Charlie Ryan on an integrated unit.  Hannah originally studied at Waterford Institute of Technology and having completed her Green Cert she is now studying pig production. Hannah spends most of her time between the farrowing rooms and completing office work for the farm. Hannah also works part-time in healthcare in her local hospital 2-3 nights a week.

Industry Advisors

Carla Gomes

Carla Gomes graduated as a veterinary practitioner from the University of Porto, Portugal in 2002. She worked in a small animal practice while studying for her MSc in Veterinary Public Health in Lisbon Technical University, focusing on Johne’s disease in dairy cattle. Carla then lectured in Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Porto and completed a PhD in Salmonella in pigs, specialising in risk characterisation and modelling of disease transmission within a herd.

Carla moved to Scotland in 2012 and worked for the Epidemiology Research Unit at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). There she was involved in several projects related to the British pig sector and other livestock species.

In September 2019, Carla joined Animal Health Ireland (AHI) as the Programme Manager for the Pig HealthCheck Programme, an AHI-led programme co-funded by pig producers and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) with the aim of improving the profitability and sustainability of the Irish pig industry through improved animal health.

Jessica Connolly (JMW Farms) 

Jessica Connolly has been working with JMW Farms since 2018 where she began working part-time on a 2500 sow breeding site. She worked on this site until she completed her undergraduate degree in agriculture in 2020, then she took up the role as research and development coordinator, running various trials across all aspects of the business, from sows to finishers.

Since completing her undergraduate degree, she has since undertaken a MSc degree through University of Glasgow on a part-time basis, studying animal nutrition, specializing in monogastrics.

Thomas Gallagher (MSD Animal Health)

Thomas Gallagher joined the IPHS in 2017. From a farming background in Donegal, Thomas graduated from UCD in 2011 with an honour’s degree in Agricultural Science. Thomas currently works with MSD Animal Health in the Integrated Livestock Business Unit specialising in offering preventative solutions to veterinary professionals, responsible persons and farmers in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Tom Sherman

Tom Sherman, a progressive pig producer from Mallow, Co. Cork, keeps his dam-bred sows in a fully integrated unit. Tom is also on the IFA’s Southern Region Pig Committee and joined the Irish Pig Health Society committee as a farm representative.

Dr. Fiona O’Meara

Fiona O’Meara, from Co. Cork, graduated with an honours degree in Agricultural Science from UCD, in 2016. Fiona gained practical, on-farm experience working on a commercial pig farm during her time in college. Fiona then went on to complete her PhD in Waterford Institute of Technology and Teagasc Moorepark. Fiona’s PhD focused on different aspects of liquid feeding for finisher pigs, including microbiological quality, fermentations, water-to-feed ratios, acid additions and comparisons of feed forms and delivery methods.

In 2020, Fiona joined Inform Nutrition, where she has worked since as a Commercial Pig Nutritionist. Working with home-mixing pig farmers and feed mills all around Ireland, Fiona is responsible for premix and diet formulations and on-farm technical advice.

Eadaoin Conway

Eadaoin Conway, originally from County Westmeath, earned an honours degree in Animal Science from University College Dublin. She continued her academic journey at UCD, completing a PhD focused on bioactive ingredients to enhance gastrointestinal health, performance and meat quality in pigs.

In 2022, Eadaoin joined Interchem as a Technical Swine Executive. In this role, she collaborates closely with Irish pig producers and veterinary practitioners to maximise pig health through an extensive portfolio of veterinary and animal health products.

Ciaran McManus

Ciaran McManus, from Co. Roscommon, graduated with a first-class honour’s degree in Animal and Crop Production from UCD in 2023. In September 2023 Ciaran joined Nuevo Animal Nutrition team.

In his current role, Ciaran, is providing tailored-made premixes, specialty products, feed additives, nutritional solutions and creep feed to farmers and feed mills in Ireland and Northern Ireland for all species of productive animals. Outside of work, Ciaran is passionate about Gaelic football and enjoys staying connected to beef and dairy farming.