Funded PhD Studentship: Feeding strategies to enhance the well-being of dairy calves during the[...]

Funded PhD Studentship: Feeding strategies to enhance the well-being of dairy calves during the weaning transition. Research Office Location: Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB Post Type: Full Time Contract Type: Fixed Term – 36 Months Closing Date: 23.59 hours GMT on Friday 28 February 2025 Reference: RD-PHD-01-EB-MH-25 Director of Studies: Dr Emma Bleach, Agriculture and Environment Department, Harper Adams University, Edgmond, Shropshire. Second Supervisors: Dr James McCaughern, Dr Gemma Charlton, Dr Joe Roberts. Start Date: October 2025 The studentship covers the current Home Student (UK, Ireland, Isle of Man & Channel Isles) tuition fees plus a yearly stipend (for 2024/5 this was £19,237 per year) with an expected small increase each academic year (2025/6 to be confirmed). International applicants would need to fund the difference between Home and Overseas fees (£11,382 for the 2025/26 academic year), with a proportion being paid in full before Visa documentation can be issued. Project: Dairy calves are typically weaned from milk feeds onto solid, concentrate feeds at just 6 to 12 weeks of age. In this relatively short timeframe, their digestive system must develop from one designed to utilize just milk, to one that can effectively utilize solid feeds, to support continued growth and development after weaning. Recent research indicates that dairy farmers make the decision to wean their calves based on a target age, weight, or solid feed intake, with intakes approaching 2 kg per day considered necessary for a smooth weaning transition. The aim of this PhD project is to identify indicators of ‘readiness to wean’ in dairy-bred calves by examining growth, behavioral patterns, and metabolomic indicators associated with digestive system development. It seeks to facilitate a smooth weaning transition by investigating the relationship between pre-weaning solid feed intakes and these indicators. Additionally, the longer-term effects of early-life solid feed intakes on heifer growth and development will be evaluated. Harper Adams University is one of the premier UK Higher Education institutions focused on the land-based and food supply chain sector. With around 2,800 undergraduate students, plus those completing postgraduate, research, and CPD programmes, Harper Adams University is the UK\’s largest single provider of higher education for these subjects. Harper Adams is consistently positioned highly in a range of national ratings, performance measures, and league tables. The University has been the highest performing modern university in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide for the last four years. In the 2020 guide, Harper Adams was named Modern University of the Year and runner-up University of the Year. In order to maintain and uphold the high standards of our research, we continue to undertake initiatives to ensure that integrity, ethics, and excellence are at the core of our research activities and fully embedded in our research culture. #J-18808-Ljbffr