Over the course of this week, I'm introducing you to the seven speakers joining us for Future of Farming: Clarity & Direction on Wednesday, 4 November.

So far, we've met Dr Nicholas Ryan of Golden Vale Research and John Maher of Nofence.

Today, we're turning our attention to something that affects every livestock farmer in the country.

Animal health, and the real impact it has on our farms.

Meet Mark O'Connor, General Manager of Ark Animal Care.

Mark has spent over 30 years working in the animal health industry, specialising in large animals.

He joined Ark Animal Care in 1995, starting out in the warehouse before working his way up to General Manager.

Based in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ark Animal Care develops and markets products designed to address common health challenges in farm animals.

But there's a bigger conversation here that I think is particularly important.

What's the real cost of poor animal health on a farm?

We often think about the veterinary bill or the cost of treatment.

But what about an animal that doesn't thrive? A calf that falls behind? The extra hours spent treating sick livestock? The loss of productivity, or the strain it puts on the farmer?

And with margins under pressure, how important is prevention rather than simply treating problems when they arise?

We talk an awful lot about increasing production, adopting new technologies and improving farm efficiency.

But surely keeping the animals we already have healthy and performing well has to be part of that conversation too?

Mark brings more than three decades of industry experience to the discussion, and I'm delighted he'll be joining us.

On Wednesday, 4 November, Mark will join six other speakers for Future of Farming: Clarity & Direction.

This isn't an event about promoting products or telling farmers what they should do.

It's an opportunity to bring together different perspectives, explore the challenges facing Irish agriculture and hear directly from the farmers and people involved.

Wednesday, 4 November | 5:45–7:00 pm | Online

We want your questions, your experiences and your ideas to help shape the discussion.