Teagasc is looking to hire vets to work at nine of its farm locations around the country.

The agency said it is establishing a panel of qualified veterinary service providers to support its animal health and welfare needs across various farm locations.

Teagasc said these services are "critical to the effective functioning" of its livestock research and demonstration farms. and are required to ensure legal compliance, animal welfare standards, and research integrity.

The panel of candidates will be used to procure veterinary services as needs arise, including through mini-competitions within defined geographic 'lots', with these lots corresponding to a Teagasc farm location.

The veterinary services required may include, but are not limited to: routine herd health checks; emergency veterinary care; disease investigation and diagnostic testing, including TB; vaccination and dosing programme support; and surgical and obstetric procedures (on site).

All services must be delivered in accordance with current Irish and EU legislation, high animal welfare standards, and Teagasc protocols.

Applicants must be based within a defined maximum travel time or radius from the relevant Teagasc site, due to the "urgent and time sensitive nature" of veterinary interventions required.

Applicants will be required to confirm their location and response times as part of their submission.

The nine 'lots' are:

Lot 1: Moorepark (Fermoy, Co. Cork P61 C996) - National dairy research centre. Enterprises include several large dairy herds with associated youngstock;
Lot 2: Grange (Dunsany, Co. Meath C15 PW93) - Beef research farm. Enterprises include suckler beef herds and dairy calf to beef systems;
Lot 3: Johnstown Castle (Co. Wexford Y35 HK54) - Mixed dairy and beef research farms. Enterprises include a winter milk dairy herd and beef systems. Also hosts Teagasc’s Environment Research Programme;
Lot 4: Athenry (Co. Galway H65 R718) - National sheep research centre. Enterprises include lowland sheep flocks, hill sheep systems, and breeding programme flocks;
Lot 5: Ballyhaise (Co. Cavan H12 E392) - Agricultural college farm. Enterprises include a dairy herd, suckler beef herd, and sheep flock. All suckler progeny and all lambs are finished on farm to slaughter;
Lot 6: Clonakilty (Co. Cork. P85 AX52) - Dairy research and college farm, with emphasis on grass- and clover-based milk production systems;
Lot 7: Kildalton (Piltown, Co. Kilkenny E32 YW08) - Agricultural college farm. Mixed enterprises including dairy, beef, sheep, tillage, equine and horticulture units;
Lot 8: Oak Park (Carlow R93 XE12) - Crops research centre. Enterprises focus on tillage and cropping systems. No livestock enterprises but is included for completeness in case needs arise (e.g. trials, emergencies);
Lot 9: Solohead (Limerick Junction, Co. Tipperary. E34 PF58) - Dairy research farm with focus on low input grass clover systems and low emissions milk production.

Applicants must be able to respond to emergency veterinary calls within 30 minutes and be within a 30 km radius of the relevant Teagasc farm location; attend routine appointments as scheduled within normal working hours; and provide weekend and out of hours cover when necessary.

Teagasc said these requirements are essential for safeguarding animal welfare, and that it reserves the right to verify location and response capabilities during the assessment process.