Optimising reproduction and growth under New Zealand conditions.
The NZTBA is hosting a seminar in conjunction with Massey University next Tuesday 29th May at the Prince Albert Tavern, Victoria Street Cambridge from 6pm. The following speakers will present information -
Javier Roca - Post-Doctoral fellow (Animal Science)
New Zealand is a long skinny country with significant variation in climate and pasture growth between the regions. Using the national Thoroughbred breeding records, daily climate data, and GPS location of breeding farms we have mapped variation in the conception date of Thoroughbred mares across the different breeding regions in New Zealand.
Yin Yin Chin - Master student (Animal Science)
In New Zealand Thoroughbred mares that foal later in the season are reported to take longer to get back in-foal. This delay may be related to a number of factors, including feed supply. This talk will present an overview of how modelling feed intake of Thoroughbred mares managed on commercial farms may explain how feed supply relates to delayed conception interval for mares foaling later in the season.
Chris Rogers – Associate Professor in Equine Science
New Zealands pasture-based Thoroughbred breeding industry has a reputation for breeding tough durable racehorses. There is an increasing body of evidence in the scientific literature that this may be due to the ability of the foal to exercise freely at pasture, at a young age. This talk will look at what we know about foal exercise when at pasture, what happens to the musculoskeletal system during growth and later in life as a racehorse.
Gretel Webber – Assoc.Dip.App, BBus, MSc
Equine Nutritionist who will present an overview from a nutritional point of view on the presented topics.
The seminar is free to all NZTBA members and will run for over an hour. For further information click on the below file.
