A5032812932- Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
- Pasture and Agricultural Systems
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
- Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
- Agricultural Economics and Policy
- Meat and Animal Product Quality
- Textile materials and evaluations
- Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems
- demographic modeling and climate adaptation
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Animal Nutrition and Physiology
- Cancer-related molecular mechanisms research
- Sustainable Agricultural Systems Analysis
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Mechanical Engineering and Vibrations Research
- Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Birth, Development, and Health
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Bioenergy crop production and management
- Sustainable Development and Environmental Management
- Agronomic Practices and Intercropping Systems
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
Agriculture Victoria
2016-2023
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
2016
University of New England
2010-2014
The University of Western Australia
2014
Praxis für Humangenetik
2010
The University of Sydney
1995
Abstract During opening of a new ocean, magma intrudes into the surrounding sedimentary basins. Heat provided by intrusions matures host rock, creating metamorphic aureoles potentially releasing large amounts hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons may migrate to seafloor in hydrothermal vent complexes sufficient volumes trigger global warming, e.g., during Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). Mound structures at top buried observed seismic data off Norway were previously interpreted as...
The liveweight profile of Merino ewes is related to the production and profitability sheep enterprise, but few producers measure manage nutrition ewes. In this paper we examine relationship between changes in condition score using data from Lifetimewool project compare fat as alternative monitoring tools. Analyses 15 flocks representing a range different genotypes environments showed that change was on average 9.2 kg per unit or 0.19 times standard reference weight flock. two experiments...
Data on lamb survival and associated traits involving records from 15 192 lambs, 6308 dams 284 sires the Sheep CRC’s Information Nucleus were studied. Lamb to 3 days of age weaning was 85 80%, respectively, heritability (±s.e.) 0.014 ± 0.010 0.010, respectively. Of 14 recorded at birth, time taken for bleat, rectal temperature crown–rump length had highest genetic correlations with (–0.43 0.32, 0.56 0.33 –0.38 0.36, respectively). Under selection a multi-trait objective including net...
The present paper covers reproductive performance in an artificial-insemination (AI) program of the Sheep CRC Information Nucleus with 24 699 lambs born at eight locations southern Australia across five lambings between 2007 and 2011. Results from AI frozen semen compared well industry standards for natural mating. Conception rates averaged 72%, 1.45 were per ewe pregnant Merino ewes 1.67 crossbreds. Lamb deaths 21% 15% crossbreds 19%, 22% 20% that mated to terminal, maternal sire types,...
Experiments conducted by Lifetimewool at plot-scale have shown that differences in the maternal liveweight during pregnancy and lactation (liveweight profiles) of individual Merino ewes influences their wool production reproductive rate as well birthweight, survival, weaning weight lifetime lambs a predictable manner. This study determined whether these impacts nutrition ewe on progeny performance are measurable commercial properties across southern Australia paddock-scale where were...
Lifetime Ewe Management is an extension program designed to assist sheep producers improve their understanding of ewe nutrition and develop the skills confidence management. The course based on a small-group model was developed by Lifetimewool project as way incorporate research findings, economic modelling producer guidelines project. commenced in Victoria spring 2006 end 2010, 221 had completed 2-year program. changes knowledge, attitudes, skills, aspirations management practices 182 these...
Producing lamb with good eating quality – flavour, tenderness and juiciness is essential for consumer satisfaction. Forages such as lucerne plantain can play an important role in sustainable production; however, it to ensure that these feeds do not introduce undesirable flavours. We evaluated the potential backgrounding (post-weaning) finishing diets (11 weeks pre-slaughter) affect quality. Lambs were backgrounded on either (1) a combination of three cultivars perennial ryegrass or (2)...
Abstract Background Variants that regulate transcription, such as expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), have shown enrichment in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for mammalian complex traits. However, no study has reported eQTL sheep, although it is an important agricultural species which many GWAS of meat traits been conducted. Using RNA sequence data produced from liver and muscle 149 sheep imputed whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), our aim was to dissect the...
Low rates of adoption innovations in sheep management have been blamed on the poor targeting messages, low relative advantage innovation, a focus awareness-raising activities rather than activities, ‘packaging’ information and few effective tools to aid decision making. Lifetimewool, national project that developed guidelines for Merino ewes specific regions different times lambing, used ‘review improve’ process identify areas interest, level knowledge skills required by sectors audience...
Improved dryland pastures for sheep and beef cattle production in south-western Victoria are typically based on summer-dormant cultivars of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) or phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.). These highly productive spring but exhibit low accumulation rates over summer–autumn. Summer-active pasture species could potentially alleviate this summer–autumn feed gap. Three systems that used different each the three landscape classes (crest, slope, valley floor) were...
Australian agriculture generated 15% of national greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) in 2011, with CH4 and N2O accounting for 12 3% emissions, respectively. In the government introduced a voluntary carbon offset scheme called Carbon Farming Initiative, which enables farmers to earn credits by lowering GHGE or sequestering carbon. One way reducing is decrease number replacement animals required on-farm increase amount product that produce across their lifetime. This study explores two options...
Efficient liveweight gain is an important component of profitable livestock systems. In cattle, studies residual feed intake (RFI) suggest that there are behavioural differences between efficient and inefficient animals; more animals have less frequent, larger events. There limited understanding the association feeding behaviour conversion efficiency (measured as RFI) in sheep. We hypothesised sheep would lower daily number meals but meal size than be repeatable measurements conducted using...
Although generally well adapted and productive, the summer-dormant perennial pastures of southern Australia do not provide a year-round, high nutritive value feed base, they fail to respond summer rainfall, are inefficient in using stored soil water, which can contribute dryland salinity. An experiment was conducted test hypothesis that deep-rooted, summer-active pasture species, matched type, be grown successfully increase animal productivity quality summer–autumn. Specifically, compared...
Management of nutrition during pregnancy for maternal composite ewes has the potential to improve lamb production and survival in prime systems but existing condition score (CS) guidelines developed Merinos may not be appropriate optimum ewes. To address this, three replicated experiments were conducted at two research sites Victoria one Western Australia. Ewes (781–800 per site) allocated four CS treatments following scanning (~Day 50) differentially fed reach approximate targets 2.4, 2.8,...
Lifetimewool was a national project that began in 2001 to develop profitable ewe feeding and management guidelines for wool producers across southern Australia. By 2005, the included communication adoption activities. Rigorous communication, evaluation plans were used maintain focus on its objectives measure impacts. Evaluation an integral part of project’s development allowed gain clear idea impact. The aimed influence at least 3000 nationally change their flock by (or thereof) messages...
New perennial pasture grazing systems have been developed for livestock production in the high rainfall zone of Southern Australia. These provide producers south west Victoria with opportunity to increase stocking rate per hectare compared current practice. A partial discounted cash flow budget a whole farm perspective was used analyse economic performance, and risk implications, 100 investment new over time representative at range rates. The effect seasonal variability investigated impact...
A cross-sectional telephone survey of post-weaning sheep management and mortality was conducted involving 1410 farmers from across Australia. The average reported 4.6%. Mortality greatest in Queensland Western Australia, least New South Wales, Victoria, Weaner also greater the pastoral zone than sheep–cereals or high-rainfall zones. Overall, 44% farms had identified as ‘high’, exceeding suggested benchmark ≤4% per annum. High on 50% 32% with predominantly Merino crossbred weaners,...
Achieving higher lamb weaning percentages by reducing mortality can improve the profitability of sheep enterprises. In this paper we estimated financial benefits from providing shelter to reduce twin lambs in self-replacing Merino or dual-purpose flock enterprises south-west Victoria. A whole-farm bio-economic model (MIDAS) was initially used estimate increase profit and a second analysis included costs using perennial grass hedges provide during lambing. The economic value tested at three...
The nutritional requirements of twin-bearing ewes are ~25% greater than those with single fetuses during late pregnancy and nearly twice non-pregnant ewes. Underfeeding ewes, resulting in liveweight loss pregnancy, can have adverse effects on the production survival both lamb ewe, improving twin-lamb is critical to overall reproductive performance National Merino flock. Scanning for status litter size allows more precise management nutrition ewe flock according different needs dry, single-...