@conference {41553,
	title = {Animal welfare in large dairy herds: a survey of current practices},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {65},
	year = {2005},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {127-131},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Christchurch},
	abstract = {To gain insight into the farm practices and animal welfare issues on large dairy herds, we conducted a postal survey (n = 132). The questionnaire covered four areas: demographics, stand-off practices, management during extreme weather, and races. Respondents managed 910 {\textpm} 466 (mean {\textpm} SD) milking cows during the 2003 season. When asked to identify the most important animal welfare problem on their farm, 73\% of the respondents named one of the following: lameness, disease, or nutrition/growth. Fifty-one percent of respondents used some form of stand-off area during periods of inclement weather. There are several management practices used with stand-off areas that are relevant to animal welfare including: provision of feed, shelter, space allowance, and surface type. During extreme winter and summer weather, a range of practices was used to manage cows, including changes in grazing patterns. For example, 61\% of respondents used paddocks closer to the milking shed and 40\% used sprinklers at the shed during hot weather. Finally, on average, cows walked 1.9 {\textpm} 0.8 km to the milking shed, and walking distance increased with the number of cows/farm. Farmers demonstrated awareness of animal welfare issues and implemented management practices that likely improve the well-being of their stock.
KEYWORDS: animal welfare; dairy cattle; herd size; management practices. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Tucker CB and Verkerk GA and Small BH and Tarbotton IS and Webster JR}
}
@conference {41381,
	title = {Incidence and perceptions of cryptorchid lambs in 2000},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {62},
	year = {2002},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {334-336},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Palmerston North},
	abstract = {<p>A telephone survey of 400 randomly selected sheep farmers was undertaken to determine the incidence of ram, cryptorchid, and wether lambs in the New Zealand lamb flock in 2000. Respondents were asked why they choose to produce rams, cryptorchids or wethers and how willing they would be to change. The percentage (+/-5\%) of male lambs left entire and made cryptorchids was similar at 39\% and 41\% respectively with the remaining 20\% wethers. The primary reasons why farmers produced cryptorchids was to achieve good lamb growth rates and lean carcasses without having fertile male lambs. Published research reports support the perception of leanness relative to wether lambs but indicate that carcass weights are similar to those of ram and wether lambs and that some cryptorchids may be fertile. Secondary reasons given for producing cryptorchids were that they were cleaner and easier managed than ram lambs. Although the production of cryptorchids has declined in recent years, 71\% of the farmers who currently produce them have a preference for this method and indicated unwillingness to change from this practice.</p>},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Tarbotton IS and Bray AR and Wilson JA}
}
@conference {41159,
	title = {The effects of shearing Finnish Landrace x Romney ewes in mid-pregnancy on lamb survival, birth and other weights},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {60},
	year = {2000},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {58-60},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Hamilton},
	abstract = {In each of 2 years, 600 Finnish Landrace x Romney ewes were subjected to a range of nutrition levels in early to mid pregnancy. Half the ewes were then shorn at day 70 of pregnancy with a standard comb. In the first year (1997), shearing treatment had no impact on single lamb birth and weaning weights, which were 5 and 29 kg respectively. Treatment improved twin lamb birth weights by 0.2 kg (P< 0.10), and weaning weight 1.4 kg (P<0.10). In the second year (1998), shearing treatment benefited single lamb birth weight (0.2kg; P< 0.10), and weaning weight (1kg; P<0.01) and improved twin lamb birth weight by 0.2 kg (P<0.01). In both years, lambing rate and survival were not affected. Ewe weaning weight, also in both years, was slightly higher in the ewes shorn at day 70 of pregnancy (P< 0.05). },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Smeaton DC and Webby RW and Tarbotton IS and Clayton JB}
}
@conference {41152,
	title = {Technology attributes for farm decisions - management of endoparasites},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {60},
	year = {2000},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {30-35},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Hamilton},
	abstract = {Nine regional focus group meetings were held with farmers to understand their views about endoparasite management. A software package (Decision Explorer) was used to enable participants to express their views on endoparasite management, collectively reason, debate and reach agreement on a diagrammatic model. This model summarised how participants viewed the cause and effect relationships for endoparasite management. The three areas explored in the group meetings were general management, regional differences and information gaps. Focus group findings were used to guide the development of a decision tool. An emphasis was placed on a planning approach following the farmer focus group meetings. This planning would benefit from professional service providers and parasitologists but development was guided by the farmer knowledge elicited through the workshops. Making the decision tool available in both hardcopy and electronic forms should enhance accessibility. The authors suggest there is a need to seriously consider the establishment of a National Advisory Committee for endoparasites. One possible framework for such a committee already exists in the Dairy Industry (the National Mastitis Advisory Committee). This committee would contain representatives from the appropriate disciplines and be responsible for leadership on endoparasite management. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Tarbotton IS and Paine MS and Heath A}
}
@conference {41077,
	title = {Variation in lamb survival within farm and between farms},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {59},
	year = {1999},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {73-75},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Variation in lamb loses between scanning and docking were investigated in 1997 in a survey and an on farm study. Ultrasonography results on MA ewes showed a range from 130 to 191\% foetuses scanned/ewes present. Ewe weights at joining ranged from 54 to 70 kg. Survival of multiple and single was 78\%, and 92\% respectively. Differences between scanning and docking comprised 21\% ewe deaths, 49\% dead lambs and 30\% missing /unseen. Paddock docking results were 157\% to 188\% for ewes with 2 lambs and from 90\% to 109\% for 1 lamb. Paddocks were assessed on the basis of slope, aspect, shelter, hazards and disturbance. Lack of shelter on easy contours, disturbance and steep slopes appeared to exacerbate lamb deaths. Adverse weather was not a factor in the year of this study. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Tarbotton IS and Webby RW}
}
@conference {40902,
	title = {Technology design and marketing: Case studies for beef cattle breeding},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {57},
	year = {1997},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {112-115},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {An assessment of farmer beliefs and attitudes to predict likely use of new beef breeding cow technologies was undertaken with farmers from Northland, King Country, and Hawke{\textquoteleft}s Bay. In workshops, farmers evaluated the use of twinning through embryo transfer, artificial insemination with sex-sorted encapsulated semen, and terminal sires. The proportions of farmers likely to use the technologies to some extent, were 55, 72, and 83\% respectively. Farmers identified the important interactions that would be expected to occur if the technologies were introduced into typical beef farming systems in their area. Attitudes towards each technology and towards selected technology attributes, indicated important considerations for future development of the technologies. These included their ability to: improve breeding cow returns; achieve easy care calvings; and integrate with sheep enterprise management to provide leafy feed for lambs. Consideration of these attributes in technology research, development, and marketing, is likely to improve technology uptake. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Parminter TG and Wilkinson RS and Tarbotton IS and Carter JC and Perkins AML and McMillan WH and Smeaton DC}
}
