Dr Brad Walmsley

- Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU)

Brad Walmsley

Phone: +61 2 6773 3781

Email: bwalms2@une.edu.au

Biography

Brad Walmsley is a livestock research officer at the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU), NSW DPIs joint venture with the University of New England (UNE). Brad is responsible for the R&D in breeding objectives and selection indexes for beef cattle including the continued development and support of industry application of the BreedObject technology. The BreedObject technology (http://www.breedobject.com) has been applied across all major beef breeds in Australia and internationally in some breeds. Brad originally joined the NSW Department of Primary Industries in 2008 as a livestock research officer in the animal production unit. He had strong involvement in the phenotypic prediction and maternal productivity programs of the former Cooperative Research Center for Beef Genetic Technologies. His expertise in modelling animal production systems contributed to the development of the BeefSpecs decision support tool and subsequent developments (On-Farm Drafting tool, Feedlot Optimisation). Brad has also been involved in research for divergent selection for visual muscle score.

Qualifications

2007 Doctor of Philosophy, University of New England, Australia.

2002 Bachelor of Rural Science (Honours), University of New England, Australia.

Research Interests

Brad is responsible for the R&D in breeding objectives and selection indexes for beef cattle including the continued development and support of industry application of the BreedObject technology.

Main Research Interests

  • Breeding objectives and multiple trait selection
  • Economics of animal breeding
  • Genetic and phenotypic prediction
  • Maternal productivity in beef cattle
  • Divergent selection for muscling in beef cattle
  • Animal Systems Modelling
  • Decision Support Tools
  • Integration of technical, logistical and cost issues in decision systems (optimisation)

Current Projects

  • BreedObject software system maintenance and development
  • Accuracies for multiple-trait selection indexes
  • Phenotypic prediction
  • Consequences of selection for divergent muscling in Angus cattle
  • Development of new systems for value based trading in Beef and Sheep
  • Development of decision support tools
  • Integration of technical, logistical and cost issues in decision systems (optimisation)