@conference {75897, title = {Modelling farm management scenarios that illustrate opportunities farmers have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining profitability}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, volume = {71}, year = {2011}, month = {Jan}, pages = {167-1"71}, publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, address = {Invercargill}, abstract = {Farmer focus groups have been involved in a range of learning exercises and farm system modelling exercises to determine the effect that alternative farm management scenarios would have on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission profiles on-farm. Annual GHG emissions from the current livestock farming policies for the sheep and beef property were estimated to be 4.91 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per hectare (t CO2-e/ha) or 14.3 kg CO2-e per kg of meat and fibre produced. All of the alternative farm management options had a small impact on total GHG emissions, ranging from a reduction of 0.67 t CO2-e/ha to an increase in 0.42 t CO2-e/ha (-13\% and + 8\% of the whole farm emissions per hectare, respectively). Most exposed the business to greater risk due to market and climate variability. The Canterbury dairy farm annual GHG emissions from the current farm were estimated to be 13.1 t CO2-e/ha or 9.9 kg CO2-e per kg of milk solids. Across the mitigation scenarios investigated total GHG emissions were up to 14\% lower than the baseline farm while emissions intensity ranged from 33\% higher to 9\% lower than the baseline farm. Opportunities which decreased emissions intensity and increased profit were identified; these require consideration of multiple risks around climate and market variability.}, issn = {1176-5283}, author = {Dynes RA and Smeaton DC and Rhodes AP and Fraser TJ and Brown MA} } @conference {41157, title = {Liveweight gain of young sheep grazing tall fescue or perennial ryegrass swards of different white clover content}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, volume = {60}, year = {2000}, month = {Jan}, pages = {51-54}, publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, address = {Hamilton}, abstract = {It is not clear whether the inherent qualities of tall fescue or the legumes grown with it are responsible for the wide range of liveweight gains in young sheep grazing these swards. The objective of this experiment was to determine the value of the white clover content in tall fescue swards relative to perennial ryegrass/white clover swards in respect to live weight gain in young sheep. Nine trials (ranging from 41 to 190 days) were conducted at AgResearch Poukawa and AgResearch Lincoln from spring 1995 to autumn 1997 using 15 animals as replicates in 19 treatments. Overall, live weight gains ranged from {\textendash}87 to 366 g/head/day. Even small increases in clover content had large positive effects on liveweight gain of young sheep grazing both perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. At the same pasture mass and composition, all spring grazing liveweight gains were significantly greater than those in autumn (P<0.001). Tall fescue swards appear to sometimes produce higher liveweight gains than perennial ryegrass-based swards, but this is by virtue of growing more white clover, particularly in spring.}, issn = {1176-5283}, author = {Hyslop MG and Fraser TJ and Smith DR and Knight TL and Slay MWA and Moffat CA} } @conference {40598, title = {Carcass, liver and kidney characteristics of lambs grazing plantain (Plantago lanceolata), chicory (Cichorium intybus), white clover}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, volume = {54}, year = {1994}, month = {Jan}, pages = {197-200}, publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, abstract = {Plaintain (Plantago lanceolata L.) is being evaluated in New Zealand as a potential pasture species because of its supposed medicinal attributes. Seventy six, four month old Coopworth ram lambs were rotationally grazed on either plantain (PL), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.; CH), white clover (Trifolium repens L.; WC) or perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; RG) for 82 days from January to April, 1993 at an allowance averaging 1.8 kg green DM/lamb/day. At slaughter treatment differences in carcass weight were apparent (16.8, 18.3, 20.1 and 15.6kg, respectively, for PL, CH, WC and RG). After adjustment for body size no differences in carcass characteristics were apparent between treatments. However, differences still existed for liver and kidney size. WC lambs were the heaviest at slaughter and had the largest livers after adjustment. In contrast, kidney size did not follow liveweight with PL lambs having the largest kidneys after adjustment. Serum urea and creatinine levels indicate that renal function was not impaired in PL lambs relative to RG lambs. }, issn = {1176-5283}, author = {Deaker JM and Young MJ and Fraser TJ and Rowarth JS} } @conference {40383, title = {Nutrient supply for lamb growth from Grasslands Puna chicory (Cichorium intybus) and Wana cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata)}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, volume = {52}, year = {1992}, month = {Jan}, pages = {85-88}, publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, abstract = {The long-term success of any recording scheme depends on access to a genetically-structured database of performance records. Ram breeders in New Zealand have indicated preference for a system providing within-flock breeding value prediction via on-farm personal computers or through commercial bureaux on a regional level. This paper describes recent developments in industry structure in relation to animal evaluation and access to field data for research. Ram buyers, breeders and extension agents all benefit from consistent techniques for calculating and summarising the breeding worth of animals. The within-flock methodology prototyped in Animalplan has now been used to form the basis of a "genetic engine", available under licence, for incorporation into commercial programmes with database and reporting capabilities. Across-flock genetic evaluation (e.g. sire reference analyses) may require access to information from a number of distributed databases. A national identification system which recognises animals used in flocks other than their birth flock is re-requisite to analysis. The National Database has been initiated to ensure the integrity of data and to safeguard such pedigree and performance records for a wide variety of purposes. It will be updated annually to provide a single source for across-flock Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) evaluation. The provision of the National Database ensures continued access to field data for animal breeding and other applied research. Genetic development of the scheme will come from improved specification of the production model (e.g. new traits and indicators of non-genetic effects) and from improve statistical approaches (e.g. BLUP and estimates of distributed parameters), all requiring access to and analysis of large bodies of genetically-structured field data. }, issn = {1176-5283}, author = {Komolong K and Nicol AM and Poppi DP and Fraser TJ and Kirsopp S} } @conference {39893, title = {Influence of green leaf distribution on diet selection by sheep and the implications for animal performance}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, volume = {44}, year = {1984}, month = {Jan}, pages = {105-108}, publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, abstract = {Twelve lambs, weaned at 6 weeks of age, were used to study the development of rumen function from 6 to 24 weeks of age when offered clover hay ad libitum. Six of the lambs were cannulated at the abomasum on weaning and the remaining 6 remained intact. Dry matter intake (g/kg live weight) increased rapidly until 10 weeks of age and subsequently remained constant at 33 to 37 g DM/kgLW. in vivo DM digestibility and marker rumen retention time decreased initially (0.693 in week 7 v 0.664 in week 9 and 14.5 hours in week 8 v 10.9 hours in week 12 respectively) but were constant thereafter. The proportion of digestible DM apparently digested in the rumen was low (0.45) but was similar at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age. There were no differences between the intact and cannulated lambs in DM intake and digestibility or in marker retention time in the rumen.}, issn = {1176-5283}, author = {L{\textquoteright}Huillier PJ and Poppi DP and Fraser TJ} } @conference {39803, title = {High animal production from low herbage allowance}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, volume = {42}, year = {1982}, month = {Jan}, pages = {177-178}, publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production}, abstract = {Wool growth responses of Romney ewes to increasing pasture allowance in the autumn (pre-joining), early winter (mid pregnancy) and spring (lactation) were examined. Live weight gain and wool growth increased curvilinearly with allowance. Wool growth responses were greater in autumn than winter, with spring intermediate. The maximum difference in clean fleece weight between extremes of pasture allowance was 0.41 to 0.12 kg for autumn, 0.12 kg for winter and 0.15 kg for spring. Changes in live-weight gain were associated with greater changes in wool growth in autumn than in winter or spring.}, issn = {1176-5283}, author = {Fraser TJ} }