New Animal Products
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RIRDC Completed Projects in 2002 - 2003 and Research in Progress as at June 2003 Sub Program 1.2 NEW ANIMAL PRODUCTS July 2003 RIRDC Publication No 03/59 © 2003 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved. ISBN 0 642 5862 8 ISSN 1440 6845 "RIRDC Completed Projects in 2002 - 2003 and Research in Progress as at June 2003 - 1.2 New Animal Products" Publication No 03/059 The views expressed and the conclusions reached in this publication are those of the author and not necessarily those of persons consulted. RIRDC shall not be responsible in any way whatsoever to any person who relies in whole or in part on the contents of this report. This publication is copyright. However, RIRDC encourages wide dissemination of its research, providing the Corporation is clearly acknowledged. For any other enquires concerning reproduction, contact the Publications Manager on phone 02 6272 3186. RIRDC New Animal Products Research Manager Dr Peter McInnes RIRDC Level 1, AMA House 42 Macquarie Street BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: 08 8556 7331 Fax: 08 8556 7289 Email: [email protected] RIRDC Publications Manager Cecile Ferguson Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 1, AMA House 42 Macquarie Street BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: 02 6272 3186 Fax: 02 6272 5877 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.rirdc.gov.au Published in July 2003 Printed on environmentally friendly paper by Canprint Foreword The following report contains all entries from continuing and completed New Animal Products research projects funded by RIRDC. This program aims to accelerate the development of viable new animal industries The complete report on RIRDC’s programs is available in electronic format on our website at http://www.rirdc.gov.au This report is an addition to our extensive catalogue of over 900 research projects supported by RIRDC. Please contact us for the latest publications catalogue or view it on our website: • downloads at www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/Index.htm • purchases at www.rirdc.gov.au/eshop Simon Hearn Managing Director Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation ii Contents 1.2 New Animal Products Completed Projects Project Page No. Project Title Researcher Phone Organisation No. AAI-1A The development of artificial insemination Dr Jane Vaughan (03) 5254 3365 Alpaca Artificial Insemination 1 technology in alpacas (Lama pacos) Dr David Hopkins Group Prof David Galloway AM-7A Kangaroo Specification and Selected Meat cuts Peter Evans (07) 3247 7200 AUS-MEAT Limited 3 AM-9A Buffalo Specification and Selected Meat cuts Peter Evans (07) 3247 7200 AUS-MEAT Limited 4 CSA-19A A report on the potential for establishment of an Dr Tony Schlink (08) 9333 6628 CSIRO Livestock Industries 5 Angora rabbit industry in Australia CSU-1A Farmed rabbits for growth in Australian Dr Sandra Eady (02) 6776 1394 CSIRO Livestock Industries 7 agriculture DAQ-258A Markets for Skins/Leather – Emerging Animal Bronwyn Warfield (07) 4688 1251 Department of Primary Industries 9 Industries: Goat, Emu, Ostrich, Crocodile & – Qld Camel DAQ-272A Identification and development of export Alison Leech (07) 4688 1251 Department of Primary Industries 10 opportunities for game birds – Qld DAQ-278A Distribution of meat products for prospective Jacquie Bodger (07) 3239 3307 Department of Primary Industries 13 Australian animal industries Brendan Goulding – Qld DAV-182A New value added products of selected new and Joanne Bobbitt (03) 9217 4334 Department of Primary Industries 15 emerging meats destined for various domestic (Vic) and export markets DRL-1A Improved breeding in dairy goats and milking Dr David Lindsay (08) 9381 3423 David R Lindsay 17 sheep Dr James Skerritt KDO-1A Buffalo Industry Development Specialist Kevin Doyle (02) 6681 5377 Kevin Doyle 18 LEC-1A Increasing markets for kangaroo products by John Kelly (03) 6326 8639 Lenah Consultancy 19 improving kangaroo industry image PAC-2A Kangaroo Pet Meat Survey Trevor Cook (02) 9943 6226 PacALLIANCE (Australia) Pty 20 Ltd PTP-11A Dairy Goat Farming Practices – for Specialty Arthur Stubbs (03) 9844 1135 Primary Tasks Pty Ltd 21 cheese & Other Products Gaille Abud SAR-27A Husbandry and genetic strategies to improve hide Dr Phil Glatz (08) 8303 7786 South Australian Research and 22 quality of ostriches Development Insttitute WHP-2A Performance Benchmarks for Selected New David Michael (02) 9369 2735 Wondu Holdings Pty Ltd 23 Animal Products UMO-24A Increase autumn and winter production of goat Dr Alexander Cameron (03) 5286 1211 Monash University 25 milk UQ-95A Commercial safari hunting of Australian game - a Dr Gordon Dryden (07) 5460 1255 The University of Queensland 26 feasibility study iii 1.2 New Animal Products Research in Progress Project Page No. Project Title Researcher Phone Organisation No. ABA-17A The value of Australia’s emerging agricultural Perry Smith (02) 6272 2024 Australian Bureau of Agricultural 27 industries & Resource Economics (ABARE) CSA-17A Developing a genetically improved yabby to Dr Dean Jerry (02) 6776 1322 CSIRO Livestock Industries 28 facilitate farm enterprise diversification CSA-23A Crusader – a production system for Australian Dr Sandra Eady (02) 6776 1394 CSIRO Livestock Industries 29 farmed rabbits CWT-3A Improved preservation and early stage Dr Stephen Hawkins (03) 9545 2397 CSIRO Textile and Fibre 30 processing of Australian crocodile skins Technology DAQ-287A Crocodile farming research: hatching to harvest Steve Peucker (07) 4722 2649 Department of Primary Industries 31 – Qld DAQ-300A On-farm research and pelleted feed for crocodiles Steve Peucker (07) 4722 2608 Department of Primary Industries 33 – Qld LEC-2A Assisting ongoing kangaroo market growth by John Kelly (03) 6326 8639 Lenah Consultancy 34 facilitating public industry acceptance SAR-37A On farm nutritional strategies to improve the Dr Phil Glatz (08) 8303 7786 South Australian Research and 35 profitability of ostrich farming Development Institute UF-9A Investigation of the effects of different tannages Dr Christine Lunam (08) 8204 4704 Flinders University of South 36 on tissue structure and physical correlates in Australia ostrich skin UQ-96A Sericulture: Development of a new Community- Dr John Dingle (07) 5460 1250 The University of Queensland 37 based Industry in Australia US-94A Factors that influence meat quality from Dr Peter Wynn (02) 9351 1632 The University of Sydney 38 kangaroos US-109A A genetic improvement program for farmed A/Prof Chris Moran (02) 9351 3553 The University of Sydney 39 saltwater crocodiles UWA-66A Dairy products and farming techniques for the Dr Roberta Bencini (08) 9380 2521 University of Western Australia 40 sheep milking industry UWA-71A Development of reproductive technology and A/Prof Graeme Martin (08) 9380 2528 University of Western Australia 41 fertility assessment for the emu and ostrich farming (Continuing project UWA-52A) WHP-6A Adding value along the new animal products David Michael (02) 9369 2735 Wondu Holdings Pty Limited 42 supply chain WMI-2A Production implications of trace element Prof Grahame Webb (08) 8922 4500 Wildlife Management 43 concentrations in crocodile eggs and tissues International Pty Ltd WMI-3A Captive breeding and marketing of turtles Prof Grahame Webb (08) 8922 4500 Wildlife Management 44 International Pty Ltd iv 1.2 New Animal Products Completed Projects Project Title: The development of artificial insemination technology in alpacas (Lama pacos) RIRDC Project No.: AAI-1A Researchers: Dr Jane Vaughan, Dr David Hopkins and Prof David Galloway Organisation: Alpaca Artificial Insemination Group PO Box 406 OCEAN GROVE VIC 3226 Phone: (03) 5254 3365 Fax: (03) 5254 3365 Email: [email protected] Objectives The primary aim of the studies in this report was to develop the technology for artificial insemination in alpacas in association with acceptable pregnancy rates following AI. Background The reproductive physiology of alpacas differs to that of other domestic animals and remains poorly understood. Males mate in sternal recumbency for approximately 20 minutes and ejaculate many times during this period. Each ejaculate consists of low volume, high viscosity semen containing a low sperm concentration. The fertility of alpaca males declines with increasing numbers of consecutive matings. Gestation length is about 11.5 months, twins are rare and males reach puberty from 1 to 3 years of age. Generation intervals are relatively long because males are slow to sexually mature and females exhibit an extended gestation, so conventional breeding results in slower genetic gain in comparison to other fibre-producing domestic species such as sheep and goats. Research The project was broken down into 5 steps: Consistent and reliable collection of semen, characterisation of semen to allow selection of suitable ejaculates for preservation, chilling of alpaca semen, freezing of alpaca semen and artificial insemination of females. Outcomes Consistent and reliable collection of alpaca semen was possible using a wooden mannequin covered with a tanned alpaca hide and fitted with an artificial vagina. It was possible to train both virgin and experienced alpaca males to mate with the mannequin. Components of mating behaviour were defined during the training of males and during semen collection and characteristics of semen that define an ejaculate were established. One of the most important observations made during the study was that semen quality varied considerably within and between males.