Evolutionary genetics of bovid genomes over 60,000 years. This project will provide data critical for understanding the genetic background of modern cattle and bison, and how humans have shaped factors such as milk yield, growth rates and muscle mass. It will also reveal genes and genomic regions that were favoured in the domestication process, including those potentially linked to genes of commercial interest for future research. This pioneering ancient DNA approach will also be applicable to a ....Evolutionary genetics of bovid genomes over 60,000 years. This project will provide data critical for understanding the genetic background of modern cattle and bison, and how humans have shaped factors such as milk yield, growth rates and muscle mass. It will also reveal genes and genomic regions that were favoured in the domestication process, including those potentially linked to genes of commercial interest for future research. This pioneering ancient DNA approach will also be applicable to a variety of other domestic crops and animals. The unique temporal analysis of microevolution will provide crucial data for genetic research, and groundproof our attempts to analyse the timing and nature of human evolutionary history, major domestication events and inform conservation management.Read moreRead less
Novel, Cost-Effective Methods for Measuring Methane Emissions from Grazing Livestock. Agriculture is second only to energy generation as a source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. Methane from cattle and sheep constitute 60% of these agricultural emissions. Their abatement is a win-win goal for the agricultural industry, reducing greenhouse emissions while increasing food efficiency. This project will develop a novel, cost- and-labour efficient method for on-farm measurements of the emis ....Novel, Cost-Effective Methods for Measuring Methane Emissions from Grazing Livestock. Agriculture is second only to energy generation as a source of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia. Methane from cattle and sheep constitute 60% of these agricultural emissions. Their abatement is a win-win goal for the agricultural industry, reducing greenhouse emissions while increasing food efficiency. This project will develop a novel, cost- and-labour efficient method for on-farm measurements of the emissions of methane from free-grazing cattle and sheep in their undisturbed environment. The method will be used to assess the dependence of methane emissions on factors such as diet and the efficacy of proposed methods for abatement of methane emissions, as well as providing improved data to the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory.Read moreRead less
Early Nutrition and the Programming of Body Composition in Cattle. Australia is the worlds largest beef exporter with the net value of beef export valued at $4.6 billion. The economy of rural and regional Australia relies upon cattle production with the industry bringing a total value to these communities of $7.4 billion. Cattle production in remote Australia is becoming less viable as input costs of production increase relative to income earned and the beef industry is keen to transform produc ....Early Nutrition and the Programming of Body Composition in Cattle. Australia is the worlds largest beef exporter with the net value of beef export valued at $4.6 billion. The economy of rural and regional Australia relies upon cattle production with the industry bringing a total value to these communities of $7.4 billion. Cattle production in remote Australia is becoming less viable as input costs of production increase relative to income earned and the beef industry is keen to transform production methods. Protein is the major limiting nutrient in the Australian rangelands and this proposal will provide new information on how providing protein to cattle during critical periods in their pregnancy can 'program' the body composition of the growing calf to be optimal for the market.Read moreRead less
Individual animal management for grazing beef cattle. This research will significantly improve the ability of the Australian beef pastoral industry to stay competitive in the world market whilst improving animal welfare standards for the industry. Labour shortages in rural and regional areas of Australia are a major problem to the grazing industry. This research will not only help address the shortfall in unskilled labour but will provide the tools for addressing many human and animal welfare ....Individual animal management for grazing beef cattle. This research will significantly improve the ability of the Australian beef pastoral industry to stay competitive in the world market whilst improving animal welfare standards for the industry. Labour shortages in rural and regional areas of Australia are a major problem to the grazing industry. This research will not only help address the shortfall in unskilled labour but will provide the tools for addressing many human and animal welfare issues associated with cattle handling. Read moreRead less