From Hillsborough Dairy Research to Industry Impact: Debbie McConnell’s Path

As AFBI marks a century of agricultural research, Principal Scientist for AI Services, Dr Debbie McConnell, reflects on the experiences and values that have shaped her career and the importance of evidence-based science in supporting Northern Ireland’s farming sector

“It’s a beautiful site. I remember being up at five o’clock in the morning taking grass measurements and seeing the sun come up,” recalls Dr Debbie McConnell, whose association with the research farm at Hillsborough began in 2008 as a PhD student.

Tyrone-born McConnell’s research focused on nutrient management and optimising milk production within grassland-based dairy systems, examining how practical on-farm decisions—from grazing strategies to slurry application—impact both performance and environmental outcomes.

Time spent at Hillsborough remains a defining part of her career. That hands-on, field-based research grounded her work firmly in the realities of farming, while also connecting her to a wider scientific and industry community.

“There were always so many groups visiting—from farmers to policy makers and international researchers. I really valued those interactions because you got to talk about your research in context and explore new ideas. A lot of new thinking came from those discussions.”

She does however recall that not all visits involved such fruitful two-way communication. “I do remember a group of Korean dairy farmers who didn’t speak a word of English so trying to explain the intricacies of the grass growth curve in Northern Ireland was a bit of a challenge,” she laughs. 

Following her PhD, Debbie moved to England to work with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), where she managed research programmes on grassland, forage and soils. 

She returned to AFBI Hillsborough in 2016 as a dairy research project leader, continuing her work on grassland systems and leading several industry-relevant projects, including zero-grazing management and the long-running GrassCheck programme.

Her time at AFBI spanned a period of significant advancement, reflecting the institute’s ongoing role in translating scientific research into practical outcomes for farmers.

“We are a small industry in Northern Ireland, but that means research can be applied quickly on farms. For me, AFBI was a key driver in providing the science that farmers needed.”