Quality of
sleeping and resting
behaviour in
dairy cattle and implications for cow welfare
AgResearch Ltd (New Zealand) and
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
are collaborating to offer
this exciting
PhD studentship for a term of
4
years.
The Organisation
s
AgResearch
is a leading Crown Research Institute charged with delivering science and
innovation to benefit New Zealand agriculture and its wider economy. Our internationally
recognised scientists
are dedicated
to this
mission
,
and we collaborate with world leading
science organisations and universities to achieve exceptional science delivery. We are proud
to be
a
unique
organisation that is driving prosperity by transforming agriculture
to
equip
better
our future generations to come.
SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College)
is a widely respected higher education institute dedicated to
producing specialist research, delivering high quality
education
and providing
comprehensive consultancy services in the rural sector within the UK and beyond. An
organisation unique in Scotlan
d and one of the largest organisations of its kind in Europe;
we aim to lead the way in innovation and sustainable development in the agriculture and
rural sectors at local, national and international levels.
Research at SRUC is focused on rural,
environme
ntal and land
-
based activity and underpins our education and consultancy. Our
work addresses health and productivity in animals, animal welfare and crops, promotes low
carbon farming and increases farm output through efficiency and innovation.
The Role
Animal Welfare PhD Studentship:
The Animal Welfare Team
s
at AgResearch
and SRUC support
the
market success of our
agricultural
industries
by providing animal welfare research that can be used
to inform management choices and industry strategies that meet pub
lic expectations.
This role will
undertake a PhD research program consisting of projects delivering high
quality science
outcomes, relevant to
dairy
industry priorities in animal welfare. In doing so, the job holder
will identify and convert relevant knowledge gaps into successful R&D proposals and
outcomes.
The PhD research will be carried out for approximately e
qual periods at both AgResearch
(
New Z
ealand
)
and
SRU
C
(
Scotland
)
.
The candidate would need to meet requirements for
registration as a PhD student at Massey University in New
Zealand to qualify for the
studentship.
The research program
: The PhD candidate will undertake a program of research
to
understand
the components contributing to “quality”
of sleep and
rest
i
ng
in D
airy
Cattle.
Specifically:
A
ssess
ing
the
space requirements for resting (including investigating
biomechanics
of standing
-
lying
transition
and use of 3
-
D space
)
.
Determing the indicators of quality sleep
(
e.g. using
duration of
slow
-
wave and REM
sleep).
Determining
th
e
effect of lying posture on quality of rest and sleep
.
Determining indicators that can be used for assessment of
rest and sleep
quality in
different
environments.
Investigating m
otivation
and decisions to
lie
down.
The
research
should include a re
-
evaluation of minimum requirements for resting to meet
adequate welfare needs and provide information that can be used to support manage
ment
guidelines for dairy farmers.
Duties
•
plan
s
the research, collect data, provide analysis and reporting of results
•
authors
major papers
and client project reports
•
presents these papers at local, national and international conferences
/workshops
•
c
ontributes to the development or improvement of research methods
•
obtain
s
approval from supervisors before modifying agreed activities
•
is responsible
for implementing approved project plans
•
work
s
effectively
and cooperatively
with team
and stakeholders
•
c
oordinates resources and equipment and supervises
the
delivery
of research
•
w
orks
with others; establishing and maintaining good working relationships
•
p
rovides clear instructions and guidance to colleagues concerning project work
•
e
stablishes courses of action to ensure
results delivered
efficiently
•
committed
to foster and sustain a positive, friendly and supportive workplace
About you
The person best suited
for
this position will possess the following:
Education/Qualifications
•
A degree in physiology, veterinary medicine, animal science, or ethology
•
A masters degree
from one of these fields of study
preferre
Knowledge/Experience Required
•
Thorough understanding of research process and analytical procedures
•
Strong
project management skills
•
Demonstrated experience with report writing
•
B
ackground knowledge and in
-
depth expertise in own specialist area
•
Uses scientific methodologies for all research, including literature searching
•
Uses
hypothesis
-
based experime
ntal design and statistical analysis
•
Follows rigorous development and documentation pro
cedures
•
Strong academic achievement
Benefits
•
Varied work plan
•
Strong team environment
•
Opportunity to learn a
wide
range of technical and research skills
•
Opportunity
for
international collaboration and experience
•
Contribute to New Zealand's
and Scotland’s
strong animal welfare reputation
s
How to apply
Closing
Date of expressions of interest, with a CV is
30 November 2016.
C
ontact
Dr
Jim Webster
,
S
c
ience
Team L
eader
on
+64
783835574
or
Jim.Webster@agresearch.co.nz
for a
confidential discussion.
AgResearch and
SRUC
are
equal
opportunities
employer
s
.