Australian ultrafine wool dehairing and processing. A novel fibre separation process will be developed to achieve the finest merino wool for processing into luxurious items. This project will add significant value to our multi-billion dollar animal fibre industry, and further enhance Australia's international reputation as the source for the highest quality wool as well as wool research and development.
New hybrid fibres incorporating nano protein materials. This project aims to develop new cellulose fibres incorporating nano protein materials extracted from animal fibres such as wool. The structure and property of the new hybrid fibres will be studied. Combining cellulose and protein materials within a single fibre is a new and original concept. This will lead to the production of new fibres with enhanced attributes and add significant value to the multi-billion dollar animal fibre industry in ....New hybrid fibres incorporating nano protein materials. This project aims to develop new cellulose fibres incorporating nano protein materials extracted from animal fibres such as wool. The structure and property of the new hybrid fibres will be studied. Combining cellulose and protein materials within a single fibre is a new and original concept. This will lead to the production of new fibres with enhanced attributes and add significant value to the multi-billion dollar animal fibre industry in Australia. It will also benefit the collaborating country as the major consumer of animal fibres imported from AustraliaRead moreRead less
Understanding the interaction between wool fibre surface and ionic liquids. This project will advance the knowledge on wool surface/ionic liquid interaction, which has the potential to revolutionize the traditional and environmentally unfriendly wool shrinkage-proof treatment technology. This will have significant industry wide benefit for the multi-billion dollar animal fibre industry.
The Properties and Processing Performance of Ultrasonically Cleaned Wool Fibres. Australian wool production is a $2.5 billion export industry, and about 70% of Australian wool is exported to China for further processing. Scouring or wool cleaning is the first critical step in the processing chain, which has come under increasing pressure to reduce water and energy consumption and effluent discharge. Assisting leading wool processors in the research and development of the latest wool processing t ....The Properties and Processing Performance of Ultrasonically Cleaned Wool Fibres. Australian wool production is a $2.5 billion export industry, and about 70% of Australian wool is exported to China for further processing. Scouring or wool cleaning is the first critical step in the processing chain, which has come under increasing pressure to reduce water and energy consumption and effluent discharge. Assisting leading wool processors in the research and development of the latest wool processing technologies is of direct benefit to the wool production industry in Australia.Read moreRead less
Excitatory neuropeptides from nematode parasites of sheep. Internal parasites cause major disease and economic loss in Australian agricultural industries. Control, usually achieved with drugs, is now compromised by drug resistance and new remedies are required. Results of recent DNA sequencing projects have allowed us to predict the presence of neuropeptides in the worms of sheep. The aim of this project is to elucidate the steps in the action of these peptides, in particular, those that cause m ....Excitatory neuropeptides from nematode parasites of sheep. Internal parasites cause major disease and economic loss in Australian agricultural industries. Control, usually achieved with drugs, is now compromised by drug resistance and new remedies are required. Results of recent DNA sequencing projects have allowed us to predict the presence of neuropeptides in the worms of sheep. The aim of this project is to elucidate the steps in the action of these peptides, in particular, those that cause muscle contraction. By understanding the action of these peptides we hope to identify targets against which new drugs for parasite control can be developed.Read moreRead less
In vitro prediction tests of fertility of frozen semen of sheep and cattle. Variation in fertility after artificial insemination (AI) of frozen semen is high and leads to economic loss. Routine assessment of the quality of frozen semen relies on crude, simple tests of motility and morphology of sperm. More sophisticated sperm ultrastructural and function tests have recently been developed, but it is not known how these tests relate to fertility in the field. In this project we will test a ran ....In vitro prediction tests of fertility of frozen semen of sheep and cattle. Variation in fertility after artificial insemination (AI) of frozen semen is high and leads to economic loss. Routine assessment of the quality of frozen semen relies on crude, simple tests of motility and morphology of sperm. More sophisticated sperm ultrastructural and function tests have recently been developed, but it is not known how these tests relate to fertility in the field. In this project we will test a range of in vitro methods of assessment of motility and morphology of sperm and compare them with fertility of frozen semen samples after AI, leading to more objective methods of semen analysis.Read moreRead less
Modelling the structure of Australian wool auction prices. Australian wool auction ($3.5-4 billions per year) is an on-going process. The prices paid in this auction market are used by the Australian production and service sectors to identify the quality preferences the international retail markets and the intermediate processors. The proposed research will optimise the information that can be extracted and used by these sectors in the production and distribution of the raw wool clip. A two- ....Modelling the structure of Australian wool auction prices. Australian wool auction ($3.5-4 billions per year) is an on-going process. The prices paid in this auction market are used by the Australian production and service sectors to identify the quality preferences the international retail markets and the intermediate processors. The proposed research will optimise the information that can be extracted and used by these sectors in the production and distribution of the raw wool clip. A two-stages algorithm in tree-based regression will be developed. The project will provide a challenge environment to train a Ph.D. student in agriculture modelling and optimisation.Read moreRead less
Evaluating host-parasite interplay in individual tissues. The immune system of the host and the infecting parasite has coevolved into a sophisticated balance of power. This project will explore this balance using Schistosoma japonicum infection in sheep and determine immune mechanisms unleashed by the host in various tissues as well as the response of the parasite to these attacks.
Development of a topical treatment to replace surgical mulesing in sheep. 10,800 farms in Australia are sheep farms and a further 30,000 have sheep. Exports of wool earn over $2 billion annually. The animal rights campaign to ban mulesing has forced the industry to outlaw mulesing by 2010. Mulesing is largely confined to Australian Merino sheep and requires Australian research. If practical alternatives are not found costs will rise compromising the economic viability of many sheep farms. C ....Development of a topical treatment to replace surgical mulesing in sheep. 10,800 farms in Australia are sheep farms and a further 30,000 have sheep. Exports of wool earn over $2 billion annually. The animal rights campaign to ban mulesing has forced the industry to outlaw mulesing by 2010. Mulesing is largely confined to Australian Merino sheep and requires Australian research. If practical alternatives are not found costs will rise compromising the economic viability of many sheep farms. Chemical use on the breech will increase causing environmental contamination. A simple topical alternative to mulesing will allow farmers to economically manage flies and satisfy welfare imperatives. This will support rural communities and sustain Australia's export income from wool.Read moreRead less
Determining the impact of protozoan pathogens and strongyle worms on prime lamb production. This research will benefit wool and prime lamb industries nation-wide as sheep scouring is prevalent in high-rainfall areas across Australia. Data generated from the project will be used to educate farmers and reduce the financial burden of sheep scouring. This project will also enhance Australia's reputation in the disease management sector and will result in reduced risk to public health due to a better ....Determining the impact of protozoan pathogens and strongyle worms on prime lamb production. This research will benefit wool and prime lamb industries nation-wide as sheep scouring is prevalent in high-rainfall areas across Australia. Data generated from the project will be used to educate farmers and reduce the financial burden of sheep scouring. This project will also enhance Australia's reputation in the disease management sector and will result in reduced risk to public health due to a better understanding and management of zoonotic parasite and microbacterial contamination of carcasses and water catchments.Read moreRead less