A5054275485- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
- Plant and fungal interactions
- Animal Nutrition and Physiology
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Meat and Animal Product Quality
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Plant Toxicity and Pharmacological Properties
- Salmonella and Campylobacter epidemiology
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Animal health and immunology
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Environmental Conservation and Management
- Botanical Research and Chemistry
- Fecal contamination and water quality
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Nematode management and characterization studies
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Escherichia coli research studies
AgResearch
2015-2024
University of Auckland
2023-2024
University of St Andrews
2008-2010
Asexual Epichloё endophytes colonise agricultural forage grasses in a relationship which is mutually beneficial and provides the host plant with protection against herbivorous insects. The endophyte strain AR37 (Epichloё festucae var. lolii) produces epoxy-janthitrem alkaloids only known to provide ryegrass resistance porina larvae (Wiseana cervinata (Walker)), major pasture pest cooler areas of New Zealand. This study examined effect temperature on concentrations epoxy-janthitrems...
Eye temperature measured using infrared thermography (IRT) can be used as a non-invasive measure of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity in cattle. The objective this study was to evaluate if changes eye (measured IRT) non-invasively ANS sheep. Twenty, 2 4-year-old, Romney ewes were randomly assigned receive either epinephrine (EPI) or physiological saline (SAL) for 5 min administered via jugular catheter (n = 10 ewes/treatment). (°C) recorded continuously IRT approximately 25 before and...
White clover (Trifolium repens) is the key legume component of New Zealand pastoral agriculture due to high quality feed and nitrogen inputs it provides. Invertebrate pests constrain white growth this study investigated rhizosphere-associated fungal controls for two these attempts disentangle underpinning mechanisms. The degree suppressiveness 10 soils, in a latitudinal gradient down Zealand, added Meloidogyne hapla Costelytra zealandica scarab larvae was measured untreated soil. Most soils...
Introduced pest mammals impact widely on New Zealand invertebrates, but community-level responses to mammal removal are largely unmeasured. Beetles were pitfall-trapped for 7–10 years examine how their communities responded near eradication of all except mice (Mus musculus) within a fenced sanctuary (Zealandia), and sustained control at an unfenced (Otari-Wilton's Bush). In Zealandia, beetle abundance unexpectedly declined 6 after before stabilising. Beetle community composition changed,...
Abstract Bird strike is a significant problem for the aviation industry, caused in part by attractiveness of grass surrounding airports to birds. Endophyte‐infected grasses such as A vanex ® have been shown reduce bird populations at through production secondary metabolites. These metabolites are unpalatable herbivorous, omnivorous and granivorous birds known insect densities, thereby making sown areas less attractive insectivorous Raptors also provide bird‐strike threat which could be...
The aphid Aploneura lentisci is widespread in Australia and New Zealand, living all year round on roots of its secondary grass hosts. fungal endophyte (Epichloë festucae var. lolii), strain AR37 Lolium perenne known to greatly reduce populations was a likely reason for the superior growth persistence this association previously observed field. Aphid were quantified field trial near Ballarat, comparing yields perennial ryegrass infected with eight different strains an endophyte-free (Nil)...
Management strategies to reduce heat stress are needed, especially when there is no or little shade in pasture-based dairy systems. We investigated management practices used load summer: milking later it cooler, feeding later, and only the morning. Fifteen groups (n = 4 pregnant Friesian-cross cows/group) were managed on pasture milked at 0700 h followed by a new allocation including silage one of five afternoon/evening treatments 3 groups/treatment): 1) Late (1935 h)/early feed (1630 h), 2)...
Both adults and larvae of Listronotus bonariensis damage ryegrass (Lolium spp.), a dominant component New Zealand pasture. Damage can be reduced by Epichloë festucae var. lolii, biotrophic fungal symbiont ryegrass, through the production alkaloids with deterrent and/or toxic effects to insect herbivores including L. bonariensis. Here we report results from two pot trials field trial comparing endophyte strains different alkaloid profiles that have been introduced reduce or eliminate adverse...
The effectiveness of clove oil and cautery disbudding on horn growth was evaluated in goat kids. study used 243 Saanen doe kids (4±1 days old; mean±SD) two farms that were disbudded with either (i) injection (CLOVE), (ii) a iron bud removed (BUDOFF), or (iii) left intact (BUDON). Each kid received different treatment per bud, which balanced between buds (left/right) randomly allocated. A trained observer monitored following for 3 months recording either: N: no growth, H: normal horn, S:...
Bedding quality and cow lying time were measured during five weeks in a normal farm practice (NFP) off-paddock system with no bedding refreshment. Two groups of 100 non-lactating dairy cows compared to 8 fresh (FB). The on woodchip pad for 18 h/d at space allowance 5.4 m2/cow, 6 pasture 5 weeks. Lying times recorded continuously 60 per group using accelerometers. moisture content was weekly. Data each NFP analysed those their respective FB repeated measures. declined over from 11.6 h/day the...