A BANDON engineering student was among a winning team of students from MTU who have been named Young Innovators of the Year 2026, taking first place nationally for the development of technology designed to detect mastitis in dairy cow before visible symptoms appear.
The MastiTrak team included Lia Conlon from Bandon along with James Ahern (Inniscarra) Clara McCarthy (Mogeely) Hernan Grisolia-Chavez (Killavullen) Eolan Lynch (Carrigrohane), Caulm McKenna (Aughrim) and Nadia Power (Dungarvan).
They secured the top prize in the Young Innovators Competition at the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Arena during the recent National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, County Offaly.
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Developed by biomedical and mechanical engineering students, MastiTrak is an inline detection system that monitors milk temperature from each of a cow’s four udder quarters individually during milking.
Changes in temperature can provide an early indication of mastitis allowing the system to alert farmers through a simple traffic-light warning system.
The technology is designed to integrate into existing milking parlours and give farmers real-time information to support earlier interventions, animal welfare and milk quality.
The team was selected as one of three national finalists following a competitive process involving more than 40 shortlisted projects.
Professor Seán F O’Leary, MTU, MastiTrak primary supervisor said it is a tremendous achievement for the team.
“MastiTrak has grown from the combination of first-hand farming experience, engineering expertise and determination to solve a very real challenge facing dairy farmers. What is particularly impressive is the team’s focus on creating something practical. Early identification of mastitis has clear potential benefits for animal welfare, milk quality and farm management and the students have worked extremely hard to bring that idea from concept through development and testing to the national stage."
The national award follows further success for MastiTrak earlier this year. In March, the team won first place in the MTU Prize for Innovation 2026 and was named MTU Student Entrepreneurs of the Year 2026.
