School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences - Theses

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    Survey of the sheep industry in the Western District of Victoria
    Lang, Patrick Sellar, 1912- ; Tulloh, N. M. (Norman McCall), 1922- ; Fennessy, B. V. (Bernard Vincent), 1923-2006 ; University of Melbourne School of Agriculture and Forestry (University of Melbourne, School of Agriculture, 1952?)
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    A survey of farm water supplies in central parts of Victoria 1956-7
    De Laine, Robert James. (University of Melbourne, 1959)
    The aim of this survey was to assess the present level of stock and household water facilities on farms in a selected area of Victoria. 149 farms, chosen at random from 5 shires lying in the 20.25 inch rainfall country between Stawell and Benalla, were visited. Details of all the features associated with the collection, storage, and use of both stock and household water were obtained for each of these farms. In order that the standard of stock water supply could be compared with the management of the rest of the farm, personal particulars of each farmer and general details of the farm were also recorded. The survey found that the majority of farms had inadequate provision for stock water, for example 60% of the farms visited were unable to water more than 60% of their farm area, when stocked at the rate of 1 sheep to the acre. It was also found that the standard of household water was low, for example, 28% of farms were restricted to 10 gallons per person per day, or less.
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    Studies on plant pathogenic bacteria with emphasis on serological identification
    Naylor, Jill. (University of Melbourne, 1954)
    The major problem in the recognition of bacterial diseases of plants, and hence their prevention or cure, is the rapid isolation and identification of the causal organism from the infected host. Although isolation procedures are adequate, provided the diseased organ is not heavily infected with secondary invaders, the identification of the phytopathogen is very difficult as is its distinction from saprophytic species. Because of these difficulties, this investigation was commenced in order to study the present methods of classification, and the prospects for using serological tests in the rapid identification of phytopathogenic bacteria.
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    The effect of air-drying on the level of extractable manganese and cobalt in the soil
    Zende, G. K ( 1953)
    The work presented here, was carried out to study' mainly one side of the problem, namely the slow reduction of manganese oxides by the organic matter during the process of air-drying. The other possibility - colloidal effect - needs further investigation. The effect of air-drying was studied In two alkaline soils and four acidic soils, limed to different pH. From the consideration of these results, the following conclusions can he drawn. (1) The effect of air-drying on the extractable manganese is seen only in soils with pH less than 6. (2) The effect is dependent on the amount of active manganese oxides and the amount of organic matter. (3) The, kind of organic matter and the nature of the oxide contribute to the effect of drying (but some further work is necessary.). Cobalt was included to check these factors with the assumption that it will behave as an unoxidized model for Mn. In general, there is no increase in the level of extractable cobalt after drying. Introduction of cobalt raised some new problems and an attempt was made to get some Information on the various aspects of the chemistry of, cobalt In the soil.
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    Body composition studies in the sheep
    Wardrop, Ian Donald ( 1957)
    When he was Senior Lecturer in Animal Physiology and Production at Melbourne University, Dra T.J. Robinson initiated a series of experiments concerned with the body composition of fat lambs. This study was carried out by the following team of workers under Dr. Robinson's leadership: Mr. Blair-Weste Physiology School; Dr. Binet, Statistics Department; and myself from the school of Agriculture. The aims of this study were to determine: (1) Whether the quality and conformation of a fat lamb carcass could be defined by external body and probe measurements. (2) Whether the antipyrene technique could be used to estimate the total body water in lambs and hence their body composition in terms of total waters fat, and fat free tissue. (3) What relationships might exist between the specific gravity of a lamb carcass and its fat content. (4) Whether sample joints in a lamb carcass were representative of the whole carcass in terms of total bone, muscle, and fate and therefore of total water, fat, and fat free tissue. The first part of the investigation was carried out by Drs. Robinson and ninety and I was in no way involved. The other experiments were carried out jointly by Dr. Robinson, Blair-West and myself. In October, 1953, Dr. Robinson divided 8 newly-born Suffolk cross lambs (all singles) into four similar pairs, and fed each pair on a different plane of nutrition. The lambs, which were made to grow along predetermined growth curves, were weighed fortnightly and antipyrene determinations were carried out monthly. Thus the growth curve of each lamb could be drawn and split up into its component parts - i.e. H2O, fat and fat-free tissue. All lambs were killed when they reached 80 lbs. live weight, and the carcasses deep frozen. When I joined the team, in January, 1955, the carcasses were removed from the cold store and I carried out the specific gravity determinations on them. In order to test the worth of both the antipyrene and specific gravity techniques some standard methods of estimating body composition had to be used as a comparison. It was hoped that the specific gravity of the carcass would give a measure of chemical fat content of the carcass and that antipyrene estimations would give a measure of the total body water in the live sheep. The standard technique used for assessing these estimates was a complete chemical analysis of each lamb into total water, fat protein and residue. One side of each carcass was dissected into total bone, muscle, subcutaneous and intermuscular fat. It was then possible to assess the relationships between the physical and chemical composition of the carcass and the relationships between the physical and chemical composition of sample joints in the carcass and the total carcass. I was responsible for carrying out both the carcass dissections and the chemical analysis. During the course of this work (February, l956), Dr. Robinson took up a new appointment as. Professor of Animal Husbandry at Sydney University. I remained in Melbourne to complete the work under the direction of Dr. D.E. Tribe, the newly appointed Reader in Animal Physiology and Production. The experimental work reported in this thesis is limited to that part of the study for which I was responsible. It will be appreciated therefore, that its full significance lies in its relationship to the work of the other members of the team.
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