Animal Production in Australia

Transcription

1 Animal Production in Australia PROCEEDINGS OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION VOLUME 19 NINETEENTH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE ANIMAL PRODUCTION - LEADING THE RECOVERY LA TROBE UNIVERSITY, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, JULY 1992

2 Copyright Australian Society of Animal Production Printed in Australia by Brown, Prior Anderson, Burwood, Melbourne ISSN All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission in writing from the Australian Society of Animal Production. ii

3 OFFICE BEARERS, President President-Elect Vice-President Honorary Secretary Honorary Treasurer Until July 1991 From July 1991 Editor of the Proceedings of 19th Biennial Conference Prof. A. R. Egan Dr I. Barrett-Lennard Dr K. Weber Dr J. B. Moran Dr R. D. Sainz Dr B.J. Hosking Dr J. 2. Foot COUNCIL MEMBERS Prof. I. W. Caple (Program Committee) Dr J. 2. Foot (Program Committee) Mr J. F. Graham (President, Victorian Branch) Dr R. W. Hodge (Convenor, Program Committee) Dr J. H. G. Holmes (Program Committee, local arrangements) Dr C. Lemerle (Program committee convener, resigned June 1991) Prof. G.W. McDowell (Convenor, local arrangements) Dr J. B. Moran (Program Committee, Editorial Committee) Mr R. F. Pitman (Publicity and Sponsorship Offker) Dr W. J. Prior (Resigned April 1992) Mr G. R. Saul (Newsletter Editor) Mr G. H. Smith (Program Committee)

4 PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE SOCIETY M. C. Franklin# D. S. Wishart T. K. Ewer H. J. Lee Helen Newton Turner R. H. Watson N. T. M. Yeates G. I. Alexander F. H. W. Morley I. W. McDonald C. H. S. Dolling N. M. Tulloh J. H. Shepherd D. J. Minson J. L. Corbett W. J. Pryor G. E. Robards J. C. Radcliffe Armidale Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide SYdl=Y Melbourne Annidale Brisbane 197&72 Canberra SYdl=Y Adelaide Melbourne Perth 198&82 Brisbane Arrnidale Canberra SYdl=Y Adelaide #Deceased

5 HONORARY MEMBERS OF THIS SOCIETY Honorary members shall be members who, in the opinion of the Council of the Society, have made outstanding and continued contributions to the welfare and purpose of a Branch or of the Society as a whole. Joseph Phillip Kahler, elected 11 February 1976# Clarence James Daley, elected 20 August 1980 Ian Neville Southey, elected 12 May 1982 John Murray George, elected 10 February 1986 Andley George Ward, elected 16 May 1986 Edward (Ted) Ben Byers, elected 16 May 1988 John Terre11 Williams, elected 16 May 1988 Barry Graham Lukins, elected 10 July 1990 #Deceased V

6 FELLOWS OF THE AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION Fellows shall be members who, in the opinion of the Council of the Society, have rendered eminent service to animal production in general or within Australia in particular. 25 January 1956 Charles Euston Young# 19 February I962 Mervin Clarence Franklin# Hedley Ralph Marston# 11 August 1964 (posthumously) Phillip Gumer Schinckel# 23 February I966 Helen Newton Turner 21 February 1968 Keith Valentine Leighton Kesteven# Archibald James Vasey Rodger Henry Watson 17August I970 Eric John Underwood# David Sutcliffe Wishart 17 February 1972 Hector John Lee George Russell Moule# 20 February 1974 Frederick Harold William Morley II February 1976 Alan Charles Hassall Lancelot Hamilton Lines Ian Wilbur McDonald Patrick Reginald McMahon# 22 February 1978 Albert Henry Bishop Victor Gordon Cole Leslie Alfred Downey Reginald John Moir Robert Love11 Reid Wallace Carl Skelsey# Percival James Skerman Dudley Martin Smith Neil Tolmie McRae Yeates 20 August 1980 Graham Ian Alexander Gordon Lee McClymont Terence James Robinson Derek Edward Tribe 15 February 1984 William George Allden# Robert Henry Hayman# James Irwin Faithful1 Maple-Brown Jim Harcourt Shepherd I9 February 1986 George Alexander Charles Hoani Scott Dolling Ian Lind Johnstone Dennis John Minson William Henry Southcott 16 May I988 John Lovick Corbett Haydn Lloyd Davies Peter Everard Geytenbeek Geoffrey Roger Pearce Laurence Cecil Snook 10 July 1990 Allan Axelsen James Philip Hogan Trevor William Scott Robert Humphrey Weston 6 July 1992 Michael Freer Hugh McLeod Gordon John Ryves Hawker David Roy Lindsay Mary Esther Rose # Deceased 12 May I982 Sydney John Miller Norman McCall Tulloh Henry Greig Turner William Maxwell Willoughby Vl

7 MICHAEL FREER After undergraduate training at Reading and Melbourne Universities, Michael Freer worked from with the Victorian Department of Agriculture at Werribee, studying the grazing management of the dairy cow. He gained a PhD from the University of Melbourne and demonstrated experimentally that stocking rate was the overwhelmingly important factor affecting the productivity of grazing systems. In this, he was supported by C.P. McMeekan in New Zealand and, although both were widely criticised at the time, subsequent research proved them correct. After three years as a visiting scientist at the National Institute for Research in Dairying at Shinfield, England, Mike Freer joined CSIRO Division of Plant Industry. The common threads which run through Mike Freer s research career are the elucidation of the factors influencing food intake, the estimation of the nutritive value of, and the interaction between herbage and supplement, and the modelling of the grazing system. His research showed very clearly the greater nutritive value of legume pastures for the grazing sheep. He studied the effects of patterns of weight loss and regain on the body composition and productivity of the breeding ewe, and initiated the use of computer models to study grazing systems. Since 1975, he has collaborated in studies to develop new techniques for estimating the intake of milk, supplement and herbage, in an attempt to monitor and ultimately simulate the interactions between body reserves and current intake. Mike Freer s skills as a researcher and assimilator of scientific data resulted in his recent appointment to the Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on Agriculture s Animal Production Committee, which developed a set of feeding standards for ruminants in Australia. At the same time, he was developing the GrazFeed package to provide, for the first time, a simple means for scientists, advisers and farmers to apply complex feeding standards under real grazing conditions. GrazFeed can truly be said to represent a lifetime s work, encompassing not only Mike Freer s own research but also that published in over 500 scientific papers. Mike Freer has been the author or co-author of over 70 scientific publications. A skilled and respected editor, he was the Hon. Editor of the Proceedings of the 9th Biennial Conference. In addition, he has served by invitation on the Editorial Advisory Committee of the Australian Journal of Agricultural Research and is presently a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Mike Freer is a foundation member of the Australian Society of Animal Production and of its Southern Tablelands Branch. He has actively supported the Society, serving as Committee Member, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer at the Branch level and on 2 Federal Councils of the Society (1972 -Hon. Editor of the 9th Proceedings; Convenor of Program Committee). Dr Michael Freer has devoted 40 years of his life to a highly successful fusion of experimental work in, and computer modelling of, agricultural systems. His experimental studies of grazing systems have underpinned his development of computer-based packages which are now helping farmers make better on-farm decisions. He has thus made an outstanding contribution to animal science and the grazing industries, by coupling excellence in science with a dedication to the application of research results for maximum user benefit. For these contributions, the Australian Society of Animal Production is pleased to enrol him as a Fellow of the Society. vii

8 HUGH McLEOD GORDON Hugh McLeod Gordon, AM, DVSc, FACVSc, FAVA, FASP, graduated in Veterinary Science from the University of Sydney in 1931 and began research in veterinary parasitology almost immediately in the newly established McMaster Laboratory of the CSIRO, where he remained for most of his full-time working life. From 1937 to 1970 he was also part-time lecturer in Veterinary Parasitology at the University of Sydney. He retired officially from CSIRO in 1974 when he resumed teaching as a part-time Demonstrator and then as Temporary Lecturer in , and has continued to attend conferences, to publish, and to interact with his scientific and professional colleagues. Hugh Gordon s contribution to animal production in Australia, through a lifetime of work on the helminthoses of sheep, has been profound, as has his influence world-wide on the conceptual basis of the epidemiology and control of parasitic infections of ruminants. His earliest research, which included identifying the most important parasites causing losses, and developing methods of treatment and prevention with the tools and knowledge available at the time, was incorporated in the book The Internal Parasites and Parasitic Diseases of Sheep: their Treatment and Control published by Clunies Ross and Gordon in In the 1940s and 1950s he carried out substantial field studies on the epidemiology and control of the helminthoses of sheep in the major climatic zones of Australia and developed important concepts which culminated in the publication in the decade after 1948 of a series of major, influential papers. These established the principles of helminth control which have guided work in the field ever since. They also introduced for the first time practical, strategic drenching programs for application by graziers which were widely publicised and adopted. A strong theme in Hugh Gordon s work has also been the development and evaluation of anthelmintic drugs which continue to be the cornerstone of effective helminth control. He carried out many studies on the efficacy, dose rates, routes of administration and improvements in formulation of anthelmintics for sheep, and played a major part in the introduction of 2 compounds which, in their turn, represented quantum leaps in broad spectrum efficacy over their predecessors, namely phenothiazine in the 1940 s and thiabendazole in the 1960 s. He has made other wide ranging contributions in veterinary parasitology and animal production, including the pathogenesis of parasitic diseases and their effects on wool and body growth interacting with nutrition. He has also been active throughout his life in communicating his knowledge to the users of research results, especially the woolgrowers of Australia. For contributions to animal production over more than half a century it is fitting that Hugh Gordon be elected a Fellow of the Australian Society of Animal Production.... Vlll

9 JOHN RYVES HAWKER John Ryves Hawker is a son of the late Mr John Hawker of Anama Merino Stud, Brinkworth, South Australia. Anama is one of the four parent Bungaree studs derived in 1906 from the original Bungaree stud founded in 1841 by the late Hon. G.C. Hawker. Ryves was educated at St. Peters College, Adelaide and gained a Diploma in Agriculture at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, U.K. Then he gained experience as a jackeroo at Scone in N.S.W., Leonora in W.A. and Meningie and Anama in S.A. He worked for 9 months in Kenya, East Africa and 6 months in South Africa on sheep studs and 3 months on a beef/grain farm. Ryves returned to Anama as overseer and then became manager of Anama Pastoral Co., running the Red Angus herd and, with brother James, the Anama Merino Stud at Brinkworth and Booborowie, respectively. Always an innovator and industry leader, Ryves Hawker has held the following positions: Clare Show Society, Committee member, past President Red Angus Society, Committee member, past President South Australian Stud Merino Sheep Breeders Association, Committee Member, past President Waite Agricultural Research Institute Advisory Panel, former member Hummocks Soil Conservation Board Review Committee, past Chairman Department of Agriculture Ruminant Review Committee, Chairman Sheep and Wool Advisory Group to the S.A. Department of Agriculture, member Northern Agriculture Advisory Committee to the S.A. Department of Agriculture, member Australian Assoc. of Animal Breeding and Genetics, foundation member, past President (2 terms) Australian Society of Animal Production, former State and Federal Committee member CSIRO Animal Production Committee at Prospect N.S.W., member National Wool Plan Committee, member National Sire Reference Committee, member Performance Sheepbreeders Association S.A. State Committee, member Ryves Hawker uses Beefplan and Wool Plan as an aid to selection of more productive animals. Although parent studs are by definition closed, he is open minded and has introduced proven breeder rams into both the Merino and Poll Merino studs with considerable success. Ryves has cooperated with Dr Raul Ponzoni and his genetic staff of the S.A. Department of Agriculture to monitor genetic progress in the Anama stud using a control flock and now frozen semen and embryos. Ryves Hawker has collaborated with the international Breeding Technology and Services, by providing ewes for embryo transfer from Rambouillet rams and ewes imported fram the fixed genetic type of fine wool Texan Rambouillet strain, to produce large framed, rapid growth rate, lean lamb and wethers with good fleece weights of high quality 21 micron wool. He believes this could provide a significant genetic boost for the Australian Merino. For his contribution to animal production, the Australian Society of Animal Production is pleased to enrol Ryves Hawker as a Fellow of the Society. 1x

10 DAVID ROY LINDSAY David Lindsay was born in Dapto, New South Wales, to a dairy farming family. After graduating BSc.Agr. (Hons) from the University of Sydney in 1958, he worked briefly for the N.S.W. Herd Improvement Association before returning to Sydney University to undertake PhD studies with Professor Terry Robinson. For the 3 years following graduation he was Research Associate at Washington State University working with Professor E.S.E. Hafez, before returning again to Sydney University as Research Fellow in charge of the Sheep and Wool Research Unit at Camden. In 1967 he moved to Perth as a lecturer in the Institute of Agriculture at The University of Western Australia, supported by the Wool Board for research into the problem of low fertility in WA flocks. The results of a detailed survey on reproductive wastage in Merino sheep led to the establishment in 1971 of an AMLRDC-funded research programme which continued for 20 years. He was appointed Head of the Department of Animal Science in 1976, Professor of Agriculture (Animal Science) in 1984, and served 4 terms as Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture. His research output has been prolific, with more than 100 refereed papers and 23 books and chapters in books to his name. His young and active research group has made major and systematic advances in the reproduction of sheep, including use of the ram effect to synchronise ovulation, establishing the effect of short-term feeding of lupin seed on reproductive performance, the development of androgenised wethers as teasers, and the understanding of ewe and lamb behaviour at the onset of lactation. This has led to improved management and higher levels of reproductive efficiency in sheep flocks, not only in Western Australia but also in eastern Australia and France. As a teacher he has made an outstanding contribution to the education of animal scientists, many of whom now exert major influence on animal research in Australia and overseas. He has supervised 18 PhD and 7 MSc. students, and in the words of his own PhD supervisor a whole generation of young agricultural scientists gamed a first-class, highly disciplined postgraduate training. David Lindsay has made a major contribution to the advancement of agriculture in Australia through his involvement in several major agricultural reviews and has served on numerous rural industry research committees. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Technological Sciences and in 1991 he was awarded the Medal of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science. He has played a significant role in the Australian Society of Animal Production, in particular in revitalising the West Australian Branch in the late 1970 s and as Vice-President of the Federal Council in For these contributions, the Australian Society of Animal Production is pleased to enrol him as a Fellow of the Society.

11 MARY ESTHER ROSE Mary Esther Rose grew up on sheep properties in Queensland and this close involvement with the wool industry has continued throughout her career, as evidenced by the way the industry has consistently funded her research and her proven ability to apply research results back to the industry. In her professional career, Mary has made a major contribution in bringing together the wool industry, research for the industry and the Australian Society of Animal Production. Mary Rose graduated in Agricultural Science from the University of Queensland and began her professional career with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries in Mary s early studies in north west Queensland demonstrated the relatively high rate of losses in young sheep. Concurrent studies on the association of wrinkle score with reproductive parameters were the beginnings of her major contribution to the genetic selection of sheep in Queensland. These early field studies formed the basis of her Master of Science thesis, awarded by the University of Sydney in From 1976 to 1982 Mary was Officer-in-Charge of the Wool Biology Laboratory, QDPI where she substantially increased the efficiency of the wool testing service. A major achievement has been her effective use of studs in the national genetic improvement program. In 1982 Mary enrolled at the University of Queensland to study for her PhD degree with Dr Bill Pattie. Her thesis, entitled Genetic and economic consequences of breeding strategies within the Queensland merino industry, is a blueprint for making maximum economic gains from the genetic selection program, WOOLPLAN. Her present work largely relates to adoption of this plan. Mary has successfully applied her research by her involvement in farmer education. Some important features of her work include active participation in classing on properties, frequent and in-depth contact with wool producers, a substantial extension role and publication of scientific articles that are accessible to farmers. Mary has transferred many of the principles of genetic improvement from sheep to cashmere goats, including a MOET selection programme and sire reference scheme. She has published over 30 significant scientific papers, including many in the Society s Proceedings and a similar number of extension papers have been used to convey practical information to the industry. Mary has served on a number of national committees relevant to the wool industry, the Australian Society of Animal Production and the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science. Her contribution to the Society has been outstanding. She has been an active member of the Queensland Branch since 1968 and has been Secretary, Treasurer or President in each year since and is widely used as the Queensland point of reference for the Society. In 198 l-82 Mary was on the Federal Council of the Society and served as program convener, chairman of public relations committee and assistant editor of the 1982 proceedings. Her editorial talents have been used widely for other national and international symposia. Through personal commitment, sound research and enlightened communication, Mary Rose has made outstanding contributions to the wool industry and the Australian Society of Animal Production. For these contributions, the Australian Society of Animal Production is pleased to em-01 her as a Fellow of the Society. Xi

12 THE UNDERWOOD LECTURES In honour of Professor Underwood, O.A., C.B.E, B.Sc.(Agri.)(Hons) W.A., Ph.D.(Cantab.), Hon. D.Rur.Sci.(NE), Hon. D.Sc.(Wis.), Hon. D.Sc.(Agric.) W.A., Hon. D.Sc.(Melb.), ER.S., F.A.A., F.T.A., F.A.I.A.S., F.A.S.A.P, Hon. F.A.C.V.S. Agricultural Scientist, The Lecturers were: 1984 R. J. Moir 1986 H. J. Lee 1988 I. W. McDonald 1994) A. D. Robson 1992 J. Stocker xii

13 The Australian Society of Animal Production gratefully acknowledges the support and financial contributions from the following organisations: Barastoc Stockfeeds Pty Ltd Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Limited Dairy Research and Development Corporation Department of Food and Agriculture, Victoria Feedtest Service, Department of Food and Agriculture, Hamilton Inkata Press- Butterworth-Heinemann La Trobe University Meat Research Corporation Murray Goulburn Co-Operative Co. Ltd Nufarm Animal Health Peptide Technology Limited Pfizer Agricare Pty Ltd Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Rural Press Limited University of Melbourne Victorian Artificial Breeders Co-Op Society Ltd Waste-Not Hayfeeders - TR and AJ Allan Wool Research and Development Corporation The Society wishes to thank those individuals who have helped to organise the conference and produce the Proceedings. In particular we thank Dr Chris Anderson (Managing Editor, Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture) who has acted as Consultant Editor. His time and very considerable help are much appreciated. We are grateful to the co-opted members of committees:- Editorial - Mr J. W. D. Cayley, Prof. N. M. Tulloh Program - Mr P Cappichiano, Mr R. Harris, Mr M. Weller... Xl11

14 Four-page papers in this volume were examined by at least two referees in accordance with usual journal standards and are regarded by the Society as full publications. The material is subject to copyright and may not be presented elsewhere without permission of Federal Council. Contract papers have also been referred, but are regarded as discussion papers. One-page papers were examined by one referee. Both one-page papers and contract papers may be presented elsewhere in expanded form. Invited reviews were examined by members of the Editorial Committee or their nominees. Criteria for acceptance of papers are that material is of interest to members of the Society, has some novel aspect, is sound and presented in a readable form consistent with instructions to authors. CITATION OF PAPERS Papers in this publication should be cited as appearing the Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production (abbreviation: Proc. Aust Sot. Anim. Prod.). It is suggested that individual contributions in Contract Reviews should be cited as follows: SAVAGE, P. H. (1990). In: Whiteley, K.J. High Quality Contaminant-Free Wool. Proc. Aust. Sot. Anim. Prod. 18: xiv