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The Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (AIAST) recently awarded top honours for scientific excellence in agriculture to the University of Western Australia (UWA) animal science PhD student Ms Joanne Elliott and Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) research officer Ms Neroli Smith as joint winners of the Young Professionals in Agriculture award.

Ms Joanne Elliott’s presentation tested the hypothesis that piglets reared in Werribee farrowing pens (WFP) would explore more than those in conventional farrowing crates and potentially lead to increased feed intake at weaning. Her Honours research found that piglets in Werribee farrowing pens exhibited 40 per cent more exploratory behaviour than those in farrowing crates, however, piglets in the farrowing crates engaged in more than 50 per cent more feeding behaviour after weaning. Therefore, although the WFP encouraged more exploratory behaviour, this did not lead to increased feed intake at weaning and does not provide a solution to the post-weaning growth depression.

Ms Neroli Smith joint first prize winner is currently a research officer with DAFWA’s d airy team in Bunbury while also completing an Honours project in meat science with Murdoch University. She also manages a sheep meat breeding enterprise. She was recognised for her exceptional work on the use of computer tomography to predict composition of live sheep and carcases. Both winners received $1000 in prize money. The second prize and the award for best presentation went to Ms Chelsea Fancote for her UWA animal science fourth year project “investigation of cattle and sheep performance on saltbush pastures”. DAFWA Director General Mr Ian Longson said this year’s winners presented scientific research of the highest calibre which would benefit Western Australia’s animal industries.

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Professor Kadambot Siddique , Telephone (+61 8) 6488 7012, Mobile 0411 155 396