Innovation, partnership, and progress
As country manager for Alltech Ireland, Cathal plays a pivotal role in connecting farmers, feed mills, and industry partners with products and technologies that improve animal health, productivity, and sustainability. He joined Alltech back in 2007 when the company’s footprint in Ireland was small. In the years since, Alltech’s presence here has grown considerably, driven by innovation, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to working hand in hand with its customers. “My role sees me manage a team of people who work with farmers and industry, namely feed mills and pre-mix companies,” Cathal explains. “We work with farmers in terms of the issues they might have with animal health and overcoming those problems. And we would work with feed companies to help make feed more efficient to meet the needs of their farmer customers.”
Staying grounded
As Cathal’s role evolved into a more managerial position over the years, he doesn’t spend as much time on farms as he used to, he admits, but his own farming background remains integral to how he approaches his work. “I am a farmer myself. We run a suckler farm at home. I think that is good as it helps me to understand the day-to-day issues. It kind of brings you down off your pedestal, instead of talking about how things should be done, you know how things are done.” And that understanding lends itself to having a practical perspective. “The reality is that farmers are busy, and it is not always possible to do everything right all the time. Not everything works in perfect harmony, and I find that farming myself keeps me in touch with what farmers are facing.”
Innovation
The late Dr Pearse Lyons’ pioneering research into natural alternatives to antibiotics in the 1980s placed Alltech decades ahead of its time, says Cathal. It formed the foundations of today’s company and some of its most successful animal-health products. Cathal comments: “Dr Lyons was a real innovator; he was the first person to look at natural alternatives for antibiotics in the ‘80s. That innovation was different-level thinking for its time and that is what really helped to springboard the company forward. Most of the core products that we produce are derived from the yeast cell wall, a natural product, not a pharmaceutical or chemical.” It’s this foundation of science-led innovation that continues to drive the company’s growth and influence, particularly in areas of animal nutrition and sustainability. Cathal adds: “Alltech’s additive products help the rumen of the animal to work more effectively so that the animal is more efficient at converting feed into milk or meat. Additionally, we have products that are very popular in monogastrics – pig and poultry – that bind to bacteria in the gut and then are excreted from the animal harmlessly. So again, these products are being used in place of antibiotics and antimicrobials.”
Partnerships with purpose
Alltech’s commitment to supporting farmers in sustainable production extends beyond its own nutritional innovations. Alongside developing cutting-edge feed technologies, the company has strengthened its portfolio through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. For example, just over two years ago, it took a majority stake in Swiss feed-additive specialist Agolin, a producer of plant-based essential oil blends designed to optimise feed intake and animal performance.
Another interesting partnership sees Alltech join forces with German company Alzchem. This collaboration facilitates the German company’s methane-reducing slurry management/storage product reaching farmers. Research carried out by Alltech shows that significant methane emissions can be eliminated from slurry storage with the right additive. These are exciting developments, Cathal explains: “Agolin, for example, is an essential oil-based product that has been shown to improve milk production and feed efficiency, while helping farmers achieve their sustainability goals.”
The Keenan restructure
Carlow-based diet-feeder manufacturer, Keenan, which Alltech acquired in 2016, underwent a significant restructuring following the announcement in 2023 of redundancies at the plant. At the time, Alltech stated that Keenan had not been ‘integrated deeply enough into the Alltech family’. Integration has since been achieved with a new business model and structure in place, Cathal explains: “Keenan traditionally sold diet feeders direct to farms; however, we have changed that model and now, globally, Keenan sells to a distribution agent. In Ireland, that distribution agent is Alltech Ireland, for example. Alltech has offices in more than 100 countries, globally, so by using the Alltech network, the local market will know the local industry better than someone working out of Ireland, and it brings Alltech closer to the Keenan business.”
This shift has allowed Keenan to focus exclusively on manufacturing and innovation, while distribution and servicing of parts are managed locally. In Ireland, overseeing this operation falls under Cathal’s remit. A new service and parts warehouse in Borris operates independently of Keenan, ensuring farmers receive faster and more efficient service. “If a farmer needs a part and they ring in today, they will have it tomorrow, and they will have a service agent with them the day after,” says Cathal. These changes, which involved scaling back to basics and slowly re-building, have revitalised Keenan, he says. And the company has become more scalable as a result: “Previously Keenan’s business was in three main markets – Ireland, the UK, France – but now the Keenan business will have more of a global outlook because of the way it is structured.”
Looking ahead
Cathal explains that Keenan has partnered with different manufacturing firms in different parts of the world. Logistically, this is hugely beneficial: “If you are supplying machines into Asia, for example, that is very costly. But if you can get a manufacturing partner in Asia that makes sense. We have one partner that has been supplying a particular model into a particular region for 18 months now. We have our engineers based in this partner manufacturing facility to make sure that the model is up to standard.” The seasonal demand for Keenan machines can be problematic when demand is very high for a few short months and not so high at other times. So, these manufacturing partners will help balance supply and demand.
As the agricultural landscape continues to evolve, so does Keenan’s focus, says Cathal. “We see the future for Keenan is very much in automation and robotics – the way farms are going,” Cathal says. And specialist areas such as anaerobic digestion also hold promise, he says. He notes that there has been an increased demand for static mixers on certain farms: “We are seeing across the world a bigger demand for the ProMix machine. Farms are getting bigger so the demand for this type of machinery is growing,” he says.
Future
From a small Irish base in 2007 to a global leader in agri-innovation today, Alltech’s journey is one of evolution rooted in purpose. Whether it’s developing natural feed solutions, pioneering methane reduction, or reshaping its manufacturing models, the company’s ethos remains clear: do right by the customer and build for the long term. As Cathal says: “Our business is built on helping our customers to achieve their goals first and foremost. If something doesn’t work for our customer then it won’t work for Alltech long term, so we must be razor sharp on making sure that we really help our customers on their journey to what they want to achieve, that’s what drives everything we do”