@conference {3672,
	title = {Uncovering genetic variation in cow fertility using simulation},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {75},
	year = {2015},
	month = {07/2015},
	pages = {42-47},
	address = {Dunedin},
	abstract = { Dairy cow fertility is currently measured using two traits: the proportion of cows mated within 21 days of the start of mating
(PM21) and the proportion of cows that calve within 42 days of the start of calving (CR42). These traits indirectly measure a cow{\textquoteright}s
genetic propensity to return to a fertile state after calving. Both PM21 and CR42 have low heritability (0.05 and 0.03, respectively)
and fertility is suspected to have much stronger genetic drivers than indicated by these lowly heritable components. The purpose
of this study was to explore genetic and environmental factors that contribute to dairy cow fertility using a stochastic simulation
model. The model traces the reproductive life of cows from birth until their second calving date using environmental and genetic
variables to simulate fertility phenotypes. The model demonstrated that even when significant genetic variation was simulated
in underlying fertility traits, this variation appears only weakly as genetic effects using the current fertility traits evaluated for
genetic selection purposes. Potential alternative traits (e.g. gestation length, heifer puberty trait, strength of oestrus expression or
post-partum anoestrous interval) were shown to have potential to add value when identifying sires whose daughters calve earlier
in the season.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Dennis NA and Stachowicz K and Visser B and Hely FS and Amer PR and Meier S and Burke CR}
}
@conference {3678,
	title = {BRIEF COMMUNICATION: Predicting the impact of climate change on the risk of facial eczema outbreaks throughout New Zealand},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {74},
	year = {2014},
	month = {06/2014},
	pages = {161-163},
	address = {Napier},
	abstract = {Facial eczema (FE) is caused by the sporidesmin toxin, which is produced by the spores of the fungus, Pithomyces chartarum (PC). Sporidesmin causes damage to the gut, liver and bile ducts in ruminants. This can result in weight loss, decreased production and skin photosensitivity which characterise clinical FE cases (Sheath et al. 1987; Towers \& Smith 1978). Production losses also occur in sub-clinical cases, which may go undetected under normal farm management.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Dennis NA and Amer PR and Meier S}
}
