Editorial EditorialThis issue of the newsletter has been sent out mainly to announce the call for abstracts of papers for next year's annual conference. So, make sure that you read the announcement and please note the deadlines - they are slightly earlier than in previous years. Note the themes that the local (Invermay) organising team have advised for the meeting but also note the invitation for you to provide suggestions for 'contract' sessions on other themes.
At the moment it is difficult to determine which of the current affairs is likely to have a major impact on animal production. Is it: the economic recession, de-regulation of producer boards, another season of dry conditions in east coast regions, or the Resource Management Act? These topics seem to occupy the minds of industry commentators although, surprisingly, there has not been much comment on the Animal Welfare Bills - yes, there are two of them! We do not know where the major impacts on animal industries will come from but we have to be ever mindful of a wild card event arising from animal welfare or environmental issues or serious outbreaks of disease. The best protection against such contingencies is continuing education of the people who make up these industries and of the general population who comprise the market for animal products. We have been inclined lately to focus on funding issues because we see a downturn in funding of research as detrimental to farming, and it can be argued that we are driven also by personal concern for our own employment.
Education of all 'stakeholders' in the animal production sector, currently termed 'technology transfer', must be viewed as one of the important roles of the Society, and one where we are likely to maintain credibility with the stakeholders who are non-members. The most recent notable and quotable personage to make himself visible in New Zealand is Dick Hubbard. Maybe we can take a lesson from his statement - "The business of business is not just business" and re-apply it to ourselves - "The business of science is not just science"?
Graham Barrell
Possible collaboration - NZ Society of Animal Production and NZ Grasslands AssociationWhen the matter was discussed at a recent meeting of the NZSAP Management Committee there was support in principle for such collaboration, in particular through bringing together membership and audiences. The idea of joint conference sessions or special purpose symposia, workshops, publications, etc. was well received. However, caution was expressed about the benefits of sharing secretarial and editorial services, and of amalgamation into a larger grouping of kindred societies. The NZSAP Management Committee is open-minded about sharing a website and a CD ROM containing proceedings of conferences of both societies.
Are you for or against such collaboration? Tell a committee member.
NZSAP Annual Conference 1999Papers will normally be 5 minutes delivery and 4 minutes discussion. Reviews may be longer.
The Programme Committee will meet in late November to consider the abstracts and in early-December successful authors will be invited to submit full papers by 15 February 1999. The full papers will be peer reviewed, revised (the deadline for the receipt of the revised paper will be 19 April 1999) and published prior to the annual conference. If an abstract is accepted by the Management Committee the author is committed to presenting the paper to the Conference and submitting the written paper for publication in the Conference Proceedings to the Editor by 15 February 1999. In the case of unavoidable withdrawal of a paper, the author must advise the Secretary in writing at the earliest possible date.
| REMEMBER | 16 NOVEMBER 1998 | CLOSING DATE FOR ABSTRACTS |
|   | 15 FEBRUARY 1999 | SUBMISSION OF FULL PAPERS |
|   | 19 APRIL 1999 | RECEIPT OF REVISED PAPERS |
Guidelines for the preparation of abstractsPlease ensure that:
Normal presentation time 5 minutes plus 4 minutes discussion. Abstracts will be selected for the conference on the basis of relevance and scientific merit. Judgement can only be made from what is presented in the abstract. Acceptance of an abstract by the Management Committee invokes a binding commitment upon the author, and the institute where the work was undertaken, to provide a written manuscript for publication in the Society's Proceedings.
The abstract form can be downloaded from the website in rich text format (compatible with a range of word processors) or email nzsap.animal@xtra.co.nz for a copy.
Animal Science Award applicationsThis Award is to promote and advance Animal Science and Production and combines the separate Jubilee and Animal Science Awards. Specifically it encourages early career development and supports contact with AAAP activities. Applicants must normally have been a member of NZSAP for at least 1 year prior to application and be a current financial member. Application forms are available from the Executive Secretary to whom applications should be sent by 31 January 1999 for consideration in mid February 1999.
Recent grant recipients
NZSAP Award nominationsPlease nominate appropriate persons for the Society’s Awards.
The McMeekan Memorial Award recognizes a substantial recent (within the last five years) individual contribution to animal production in New Zealand. Nominations must contain documented evidence in support of the nominee and must be signed by two financial members of the Society. The nominee need not be a member of the Society.
The Sir Arthur Ward Award recognizes the successful application of research or experience to an aspect of animal production in New Zealand. The nominee may be an individual, a company or an organisation, and need not be a member of the Society. Nominations, signed by two currently financial members of the Society, must document how the nominee has contributed towards the adoption of a practise(s) that has facilitated more efficient animal production. The phrase 'adoption of a practise' is interpreted widely in order to accommodate contributions through extension, product development etc.
Nominations for both awards must be submitted to the Executive Secretary by 1 December 1998 and remain active for consideration for three years.
Wool Technology and
Sheep BreedingThis journal, previously published by the University of New South Wales, is now published by the Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand (WRONZ). Members of the New Zealand sheep and wool industries, from farmers to scientists, are invited to subscribe and/or contribute, with original articles dealing with on-farm production, handling, transport, early-stage processing and marketing of wool, and all aspects of sheep breeding and husbandry in Australia and New Zealand. For further details, contact the Editor, Dr David Cottle, WRONZ, Private Bag 4749, Christchurch, New Zealand. Phone 03 325 2421 Fax 03 325 2717 E-mail Cottle@wronz.org.nz
Upcoming Events
Farm Animal Endocrinology, 7-10 December 1998
The Third International Conference is to be held in Gembloux, Belgium, and includes a special topic on the
somatotrophic axis. Further details can be obtained from University of Agronomy, Molecular Biology & Animal
Physiology Dept, 13 Avenue Marechal Juin, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium. Phone: 32(0)81-622418;
Fax: 32(0)81 613888;
E-mail: gh.igf@fsagx.ac.be;
Website: www.fsagx.ac.be/gh_igf/
Nutrition of Herbivores, 11-16 April 1999
The 5th International Symposium on the Nutrition of Herbivores to be held in
San Antonio Texas, is dedicated to an ecological approach to the nutrition of
herbivores and will focus on mechanistic concepts of the biological process that
comprise nutritional ecology. Further details can be obtained via the web site
home page ( http://cnrit.tamu.edu/conf/isnh) or by contacting W.C. Ellis,
Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA;
Phone USA 409-845 5063; E-mail: w-ellis@tamu.edu.
For registration details contact Ms Caroline Adkins, Secretary, 5th International
Herbivore Symposium, Department of Animal Science, Texas A & M University, College Station,
Texas, USA 77843-2471; Phone USA 409 845 5214, Fax USA 409 845 5292; Email:
caroline-adkins@ansc.tamu.edu.
Satellite Symposia:
Animal Science and Production, 15-18 May 2000
The 9th Animal Science Congress of the Asian Australasian Association of Animal
Production Societies is to be held in Sydney in conjunction with the 23rd
Biennial Conference of the Australian Society of Animal Production. For more
information contact Dr Peter Wynn, Department of Animal Science, University of
Sydney, PMB3, Camden NSW 2570, Australia. Phone: 61 46 55 0232;
Fax: 61 46 55 2374;
E-mail: peterw@camden.usyd.edu.au
For Scientific Programme details contact Dr Geoff Robards, Department of
Wool and Animal Science, University of NSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia;
Phone 61 2 9385 4494; Fax 61 2 9385 5953; Email:
g.robards@unsw.edu.au.
For Registration and Accommodation details contact AAAP/ASAP 2000
Secretariat, c/- Tour Hosts Conference & Exhibition Organiser, GPO Box
128, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia; Phone 61 2 9262 2277; Fax 61 2 9262
2323; Email: aaap/asap2000@tourhosts.co.au.
NZSAP WebsiteAll members will have received their usernames and passwords for the new 'members area' on the website since the last newsletter went out. It seems that quite a few members have started using this new feature, either to check how it works or for reprints. The site now has all but a few of the full conference papers for the 1996, 1997 and 1998 years available for viewing or downloading. The few missing papers will be available within a month.
Of the 1998 papers, Sandy McClintock's paper "Possible impact of new technologies on dairy cattle breeding" has been the most popular, with 40 copies downloaded since the 1998 papers became available. However, at least some of this popularity may be due to it being the first paper in the first available year (no offence intended Sandy!). Other notable performers from the 1998 conference include D. Laborde et al. "Evaluating the business risk associated with feeding supplements to dairy cows on pasture" (19 downloads) and P.D. Muir et al. "The role of milk production in dryland lamb production systems" (18 downloads).
For those new members who did not get the last newsletter, the instructions for use are given briefly again. The papers are in Adobe portable document format (PDF) which can be viewed using a free add-in to your web browser called Acrobat Reader (version 3) by Adobe. You can download it from Adobe's website if you do not have a copy. Make sure you select the correct version for your operating system (Win 3.1, Win95/NT, MAC, Unix, etc.) and then follow the installation instructions. Downloading a given paper is as simple as clicking this PDF button beside the paper's title when searching the Proceedings (titles by year and topic). Depending on your browser you can save the paper to disk or open it without saving to disk, view the paper directly, search the text for key words (within Acrobat Reader) and print a copy if required.
Give it a try!
Neville Jopson
Occasional Publications
Reproductive Management of Grazing Ruminants in New Zealand
Edited by E. D. Fielden and J. F. Smith
Substantial knowledge from New Zealand based research on managing reproductive performance within the herd or flock is a key element to the improved efficiency of New Zealand farming systems.
This knowledge is drawn together within this publication.
A multi-author approach has been used and all authors are experts in their particular field.
This publication of 220 pages contains chapters on:-
Hormonal Control of the Reproductive Processes; Comparative
Reproductive Performance; Seasonal Factors Influencing Reproductive
Management; Modifying Reproductive Processes; Reproductive Management of
Dairy Cattle; Sheep; Beef Cattle; Deer; Goats; Camelids; Monitoring
Reproductive Performance as an Aid to Management; Future Developments in
Reproductive Technology for Livestock Species; and has been aimed at
all those with a serious interest in the efficient reproductive
management of domestic ruminants in New Zealand.
See the Occassion Publications page for prices and ordering information.
 
The NZSAP is offering a special package deal of:-
for NZ$50 (Australia,NZ and Pacific) or US$50 (Rest of The World)...a saving of $25.
See the Occassion Publications page for ordering information.
Annual subscriptions and membership
Members: The 1998 annual subscription is now overdue! For full members from N.Z. and Australia the fee is NZ$50 (reduced to NZ$25 for student and retired members). Members residing overseas (except Australia) pay US$50. The number in the top right hand corner of your address label indicates the last year for which you have paid. For example 97 means you have paid for 1997 and owe a subscription for 1998.
Members are reminded that to gain access to the section of the website which allows you to download complete papers from the last three years Proceedings, you must be a financial member having paid the 1998 subscription.
All members received an account (yellow sheet) for their fees with the last newsletter. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET PAID PLEASE DO SO!!
The 1998 Proceedings have been sent to those who have paid their 1998 subscriptions.
NZSAP now has the facilities to accept payment via credit cards.
This can be done by submission of the card Name; card Number; card Type and card Expiry Date by either mail, fax, or Email to the NZSAP Executive Secretary detailing what and who the payment is for and including contact postal addresses and phone/fax numbers etc.
CARD SWIPE facilities for these two cards will be available at future meetings.
Payment by Electronic transfer is also available to some clients but these are only accepted under strict conditions. Contact Lynne Smith for further details.
Non-members: An invitation is extended to those involved in the field of Animal Production to apply for membership in the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. The Society is concerned with all aspects of Animal Production and in particular:
Resignations were accepted from the following 3 members:
Catherine Barwell, Sean Beer, Yvonne Kuys.
1998/99 Management Committee
About this issueThis Newsletter is compiled at the Animal and Veterinary Sciences Group, Lincoln University, Canterbury and copied and distributed at AgResearch Ruakura.
Any contributions should be forwarded to:
Graham Barrell
Animal & Food Sciences Division,
P.O. Box 84,
Lincoln University,
CANTERBURY
Email: barrell@lincoln.ac.nz
