Hi, I’m Elizabeth
In 2012 I graduated with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biological Sciences. From a young age I have always had an interest in how animals’ function, behave and grow. Since graduating, I gained experience in a range of research and diagnostic settings by working for industry and CRIs. My time at the lab bench fostered an interest in the bigger-picture implications for industry and consumers associated with the projects I was working on, which led me to pursue a Master of Management degree (Distinction in Marketing), graduating in 2019.
Although I grew up in town, having found myself a dairy farmer partner has meant that this industry has been a big part of my life for the last 14 years and I have worked as a farm assistant in a range of operations and as a Contract Milker alongside my spouse. During this time, I observed first-hand how hard NZ farmers work every day to supply a high-quality product – and the immense value of technology and genetics to improve our environmental footprints, animal health & productivity, industry optics, and overall farm revenue. We still have more work to do, and my aspiration is to contribute towards future research in this space that will have practical value for NZ farmers.
I will commence my Master of Science project in July this year, which will focus on repurposing horticultural food waste materials for inclusion in feeds- specifically for methane mitigation in ruminant farming. This project will utilise a state of the art in-vitro rumen model located at Ngapouri Research Farm in Rotorua to explore the potential impacts candidate materials have on environmental outputs, volatile fatty acid production (important source of energy for ruminants), and ruminal microbial community composition. I will also investigate how some of these materials perform alongside key feeds used in the dairy industry (i.e., maize silage, PKE, and grass silage).
The Brian Asplin Memorial Scholarship will provide me with financial support to complete this project and pursue the next stage of my career. Some of the analysis I will be conducting will require specialised lab equipment and significant travel to access this kit - this scholarship will provide invaluable financial support to complete these activities and generate research that will contribute towards our understanding of rumen function, and the flow-on impacts methane mitigation may have on animal performance and wellbeing.
