Animal Production Sciences

Staff

Contact	Position	Work area
Prof. Harsharn Gill	Research Director	Animal Production Sciences
Chris Hofmeyr	Business Manager	Animal Production Sciences
Dr Ralph Behrendt	State Wide Leader	Livestock Systems
Dr Bill Wales	Acting Statewide Leader	Food, Nutrition & Biomedical Science
Dr Christopher Grainger	Principle Scientist	Livestock Systems
Dr Richard Stockdale	Senior Scientist	Livestock Systems
Dr Robyn Warner	Senior Scientist	Food, Nutrition & Biomedical Science

Staff Profiles

Professor Harsharn Gill - BVSc, MVSc, PhD Director Animal Production Sciences Research Email: harsharn.gill@dpi.vic.gov.au Professor Harsharn Gill has over 20 years experience in research and development related to food and health, and livestock industries. His research interests include the role of food (milk, meat, plant and probiotics) and food-derived bioactives in human health (especially gut and immune system health), nutrigenomics (gene-matched food products) and food safety.

He has published widely and his research has resulted in several commercial products (patented and trademarked) that are being marketed globally. Prior to joining DPI, Harsharn held senior research positions at Massey University, New Zealand (Professor and Chair of Functional Foods and Human Health; personal Chair in Nutritional Immunology) and Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd, New Zealand (Director, Milk & Health Research Centre; a joint venture between Fonterra and Massey University)

Key publications:

• Gill H.S. (2003). Probiotics to enhance anti-infective defences in the gastrointestinal tract. Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology, 17, 755-773.
  

• Gill, H.S. (2003). Dairy Products and the immune function in the elderly. In: Functional Dairy products (Ed. Mattila-Sandholm, T. and Saarela, M.), CRC Press LLC, Boca raton, USA, pp. 132-158.
  

• Gill, H.S., Rutherfurd, K.J., Gopal, P. and Cross, M.L. (2001). Enhancement of immunity in the elderly by dietary supplementation with the probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis HN019. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74, 833-839.
  

• Ahmed M, Prasad J, Gill HS, Stevenson L, Gopal P (2007). Impact of consumption of different levels of Bifidobacterium Lactis HN019 on the Intestinal Microflora of Elderly Human Subjects. The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging 11(1), 26-31.

• Calder, P., Fields, C. and Gill, H.S. (Editors). Nutrition and Immune Function. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK, 2002.

• Dunshea F R, Ostrowska E, Ferrari J and Gill HS (2007). Dairy proteins and the regulation of satiety and obesity. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 47, 1051-1058.

• Guarner F, Bourdet-Sicard R, Brandtzaeg P, Gill HS, McGuirk P, van Eden W, Versalovic J, Weinstock J, Rook GAW (2006). Mechanisms of Disease: the hygiene hypothesis revisited. Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology & Hepatology 3, 275-284.

• Sanders ME, Gibson G, Gill HS (2007). Probiotics: Their Potential to Impact Human Health. CAST Issue Paper Number 36, October 2007.

Dr Ralph Behrendt - B. Sc. Agr (Hons), PhD State Wide Leader - Livestock Systems Email: ralph.behrendt@dpi.vic.gov.au Dr Ralph Behrendt has over 15 years experience in research, development and extension for the wool industry, covering the fields of wool production, wool metrology, processing and wool marketing. He has extensive project management experience as Key Project Manager for three key projects within the Victorian Wool Strategy in diverse fields such as Sector Alliances and Business Performance, Integrated Farm Productivity and Environmentally and Socially Responsible Resource Use during the period 2000-2004. He was team member of the $2.6 million Victorian Market Linkages Initiative 1999-2001.

• Behrendt R (editor) (2000) Victorian wool production profile 1993/94 to 1997/98, CD ROM Produced By The Market Linkages Initiative, Department Of Natural Resources & Environment Victoria, Australia.
  

• Behrendt R. and Marland D. (2000). The changing nature of Victorian wool supply – implications for wool processors. Proceedings The 10th International Wool Textile Research Conference. RW-P12 p1-10.
  

• Behrendt R., Ferguson, M. and Gloag C. (2001). A comparison of individual and team rankings in wether production trials based on different wool measurement methods. Proc. Assoc. Advmt. Anim. Breed. Genet. Vol 14. p281-284.
  

• Behrendt, R., Konstantinov, K., Brien, F., Ferguson, M. and Gloag, C. (2002) A Comparison of Estimates of Mean Fibre Diameter, Variation in Fibre Diameter and Fibre Curvature Between OFDA2000 and Conventional Laboratory-based Fibre Testing. Wool Tech. Sheep Breed. 50(4) 780-786.
  

• Gloag, C.M. and Behrendt, R. (2002) The Influence of Measurement Interval and Grease on OFDA2000 Profile Characteristics Wool Tech. Sheep Breed. 50(4) 805-811.
  

• Behrendt R (2006) Lifetime Wool: Twin Futures. Agribusiness Sheep Updates 2006 42-43. Department of Agriculture and Food WA.

Dr Bill Wales - B.Ag.Sc.(hons),M.Ag.Sc.,PhD Acting Statewide Leader - Food, Nutrition & Biomedical Sciences Email: bill.wales@dpi.vic.gov.au Dr Wales has 17 years experience in dairy research at DPI Kyabram. He has a broad understanding of the interactions between pastures, supplements and grazing dairy cows. He has expertise in ruminant physiology, rumen function and the relationships between feeding and management of dairy cows. He is an experienced applied research scientist and has well-developed skills in biological processes influencing milk solids output. Dr Wales has conducted research investigating aspects of digestion of white clover and maize silage, biodynamic dairy farming systems, nutrient intake by grazing cows, supplementing cows to overcome nutrient deficiencies and factors influencing milk fat production. His research activities currently focus on modeling of dairy farming systems and feed conversion efficiency of cows in extended lactation. Dr Wales has published more than 20 papers in refereed scientific journals, has presented an invited review at an international conference and prepared more than 30 conference papers.

• Wales WJ, Heard JW, Ho CKM, Leddin CM, Stockdale CR, Walker GP, Doyle PT (2006) Profitable feeding of dairy cows on irrigated dairy farms in northern Victoria. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46, 743-752.

• Wales WJ, Stockdale CR, Doyle PT (2005) Plant and sward characteristics to achieve high intake in ruminants. XX International Grassland Congress, Cork Satellite 20, 37-47.

• Wales WJ, Kolver ES, Thorne PL, Egan AR (2004) Diurnal Variation in ruminal pH on the digestibility of highly digestible perennial ryegrass during continuous culture fermentation. Journal of Dairy Science 487, 1864-1871.

• Wales WJ, Doyle PT (2003) Effect of grain and straw supplementation on marginal milk production responses and rumen fermentation of cows grazing highly digestible subterranean clover herbage. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 467-474.

• Wales WJ, Dellow DW, Doyle PT (1999) Degradabilities of dry matter and crude protein from perennial herbage and supplements used in dairy production systems in Victoria. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 39, 645-656.

Dr Christopher Grainger - B. Ag. Sc., M. Ag. Sc., PhD Principal Scientist - Livestock Systems Email: chris.grainger@dpi.vic.gov.au Dr Grainger has worked in dairy nutrition research at DPI Ellinbank for over 20 years. He has specialist expertise in dairy cow nutrition and grazing management systems, and is internationally recognised for his research into dairy cow modelling and milk processing. He has well-developed project leadership and management skills, and has a strong commitment to see the industry improve milk yield and cow performance measures. He is currently managing a large project investigating extended lactations of dairy cows and developing project work in feed conversion efficiencies across livestock industries.

• Grainger, C and Goddard, M.E. (2004). A review of the effects of dairy breed on feed conversion efficiency – an opportunity lost? Animal Production in Australia 25, 77-80.
  
  
• Grainger, C; (1990). Effect of stage of lactation and feeding level on milk yield response by dairy cows to change in pasture intake. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 30:495-501.
  
  
• Grainger, C; (1989). Positive relation between substitution rate and pasture allowance for cows receiving concentrates. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 29:355-360.
  
  
• Grainger, C; Holmes, C.W. and Moore, Y.F. (1985). Performance of Friesian cows with high and low breeding indexes. 2. Energy and nitrogen balances with lactating and pregnant, non-lactating cows. Animal Production 40:389-400.
  
  
• Grainger, C; Wilhelms, G. and McGowan, A.A (1982). Effect of body condition at calving and level of feeding in early lactation on milk production of dairy cows. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 22:9-17.

Dr Richard Stockdale - B. Ag. Sc., PhD Senior Research Scientist – Food, Nutrition & Biomedical Sciences Email: richard.stockdale@dpi.vic.gov.au Dr Stockdale has more than 30 years experience in dairy research at DPI Kyabram. He is known throughout the world for his research on grazing ecology - the interactions between pastures, supplements and grazing dairy cows. He has strong project leadership and management skills, and is renowned for his knowledge of research methods for studying grazing ecology and milk production from irrigated pastures. He is currently developing extensive expertise in body condition issues and nutritional management of the transition cow on subsequent productivity and potential reproductive performance. Dr Stockdale was part of the team that developed the ‘Condition Magician’, a tool which aids the assessment of cow body condition used throughout Australia.

• Stockdale CR (2004) Effects of feeding magnesium sulfate to dry pregnant dairy cows with different body condition scores on intake in late gestation, periparturient blood calcium concentrations and production in early lactation. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44, 539-546.
  
  
• Stockdale CR (2004) Effects of level of feeding of concentrates during early lactation on the yield and composition of milk from grazing dairy cows with varying body condition score at calving. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44, 1-9.
  
  
• McNeill DM, Roche JR, McLachlan BP, Stockdale CR (2002) Nutritional strategies for the prevention of hypocalcaemia at calving for dairy cows in pasture-based systems. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 53, 755-770.
  
  
• Stockdale CR, Roche JR (2002) A review of the energy and protein nutrition of dairy cows through their dry period and its impact on early lactation performance. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 53, 737-753.
  
  
• Stockdale CR (2001) Body condition at calving and the performance of dairy cows in early lactation under Australian conditions: a review. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 41, 823-839.

Dr Robyn Warner - B. Ag. Sc. (Hons.), M. Ag. Sc., PhD Senior Scientist - Food, Nutrition & Biomedical Sciences Email: robyn.warner@dpi.vic.gov.au Dr Warner has 20 years of expertise in meat biochemistry, protein chemistry and food science. Her main research focus has been the quality traits of meat animals, specifically beef, pork and lamb. This has identified the physiological and nutritional factors which can be manipulated to improve meat quality, and the processing practices to optimise colour, yield and quality. Dr Warner is also a project leader for the Sheep CRC program into “Muscle and Fat Biology” and was part of the “Meat Standards Australia Pathways" team for the Meat and Livestock Corporation’s Eating Quality Assurance Program for beef (1995-2004) which received the International Meat Secretariat Millenium Prize in 2000.

• Bond, J.J., Can, L.A, and Warner, R.D. (2004). The effect of exercise stress, adrenaline injection and electrical stimulation on changes in quality attributes and proteins in Semimembranosus muscle of lamb. Meat Science. 68 (3): 469-477.
  
  
• Channon, Payne and Warner (2003). Effect of stun duration and current level applied during head to back and head only electrical stunning of pigs on pork quality compared with pigs stunned with CO2. Meat Science, 65; 1325-1333.
  
  
• Cottrell, J.J., Warner, R.D., McDonagh, M., Dunshea, F.R. (2004). Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase increases glucose uptake and lipolysis in the ovine hind-limb by a mechanism independent of insulin concentration. J. Anim. Sci; 82; 2558-2567.
  
  
• D’Souza, D.N., Warner, R.D., Dunshea, F.R. and Leury, B.J., (1998). Comparison of different dietary magnesium supplements on pork quality. Meat Science 51, 221-225.
  
  
• Rees, M.P., Trout, G.R. and Warner, R.D. (2002). Tenderness, ageing rate and meat quality of pork M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum after accelerated boning. Meat Science; 60;113-124.