@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 {79004,
	title = {Does castration status have an effect on the quality of lamb meat?},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {72},
	year = {2012},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {144-146},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Christchurch},
	abstract = {Consumer demand for leaner lamb meat all-year-round and price incentives to produce heavier carcases means that in New Zealand ram lambs are often being left entire in an attempt to improve lamb growth rates (Fisher et al. 2010). While this offers potential improvements in on-farm returns, there are still perceived concerns in the market place that meat from entire ram lambs of a certain age may be unsatisfactory. Based on the latest scientific evidence (Young et al. 2006; Young et al. 2003) New Zealand processors make no distinction between carcasses from lambs of different genders. However, due to continual perceived concerns from consumers, ... continued},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Kerslake JI and Hely FS and Maclennan G and Lindsay S and Behrent MR and Campbell AW}
}
