Project tackling antibiotic use in poultry industry
A DKIT student has been awarded a major prize for his innovative work on eliminating antibiotics in the poultry industry.
Warren Stevely was awarded a €5,000 cash prize and the Cruickshank Intellectual Property Attorneys’ High Achieving Merit Award at Enterprise Ireland’s 2018 Student Entrepreneur Awards.
His project ‘Acidose 1’ featured an electronic device designed in accordance with new EU regulations to eliminate the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry.
Warren’s alternative solution involves adopting a new acidic dosing method. The new method involves lowering the pH of the poultry’s water supply, which prevents the growth of harmful bacteria in the chicken’s gastrointestinal tract. This harmful bacterium is responsible for digestion problems and common diseases such as coccidiosis.
The Student Entrepreneur Awards are part of a major drive aimed at encouraging students to start their own business as a career option. The substantial prize fund includes €35,000 in cash prizes and €30,000 in consultancy fees which are available for winners to help them turn their idea into a commercial reality.
In addition to winning the top prize, the winning team will also receive mentoring from Enterprise Ireland to develop the commercial viability of their overall concept.
Richard Murphy, Enterprise Ireland, said: ‘ The Student Entrepreneur Awards grows from strength to strength each year and is now in its 37th year. We received over 1,000 submissions from third level students in colleges all over Ireland. Given the quality of applications, it’s clear that the entrepreneurial spirit is very much alive across Ireland’s universities and colleges.’