Dr A Ridler
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
The majority of New Zealand sheep farmers examine the udders of their ewes to make decisions on whether they will be retained. However, there is no standardised udder scoring system for ewes that objectively relate udder examination findings with a prognosis (likely ability to raise a lamb). Also, it is not known if udder characteristics change over the course of a production cycle, or the best time to examine udders. In 2016 a field study was initiated using 1200 ewes in a commercial lamb producing flock which aims to link udder traits with lamb survival and lamb growth rates. Ewes are udder-scored four times per year and their lambs are identified at birth and live weight gain to weaning recorded. This PhD project would be a continuation and expansion of a current project and would involve the following elements:
1. A continuation of the field study outlined above. Thus far 2 years of data have been recorded; the PhD would involve a further year of data collection from this flock and then data analysis of the complete 3-year dataset to identify associations between udder traits and lamb production, and to assess changes in udders of individual ewes over time.
2. Intensive studies of ewes with specific udder defects. A small flock of ewes with specific udder defects will be maintained. More intensive investigations will be undertaken with these ewes.
3. Gene markers associated with specific udder traits. Whole-genome molecular markers from the ewes will be used in a genome-wide association study to determine any genomic regions that exhibit large effects on any of the range of udder traits.
4. Potentially utilise existing data (production and genetics) from a sheep dairy system to determine if any of the traits udder identified in the University flock affecting lamb growth and survival are related to milk production in a sheep dairy.
Ideally the candidate would have an agriculture, animal science or veterinary undergraduate degree with a Masters in a related field. Good communication skills are required. Data management, data analysis, animal handling and laboratory skills would be desirable or the candidate must be prepared to develop them.
This is a fully funded PhD project.
Funding Notes
The person will need a Masters in any of the relevant disciplines of Veterinary, Agriculture , Animal or Biological Sciences.
Will need to be in New Zealand to undertake this study by May 2018