CQU appoints new professor to contribute to livestock and animal science research

Ruminant nutrition researcher Simon Quigley has been appointed CQUniversity's new Professor of Livestock and Animal Science and will lead delivery of a new research initiative in Indonesia.

Professor Quigley' who joins CQUniversity from The University of Queensland' has a research background in ruminant nutrition and production systems' having worked primarily with beef cattle and more recently with goats.

His research track record has contributed to improved nutritional management to increase productivity of ruminants across a range of production systems and environments. He also has active research interests in understanding the underlying biology that drives animal production at the tissue' cell and gene level.

While much of Simon's research has been conducted in Australia' he has also worked extensively with smallholder livestock farmers across southeast Asia and the Pacific region' and has helped build research capacity of young researchers in many developing countries.

This experience will stand him in good stead when he leads CQUniversity's collaborative research capacity-building program that is in development with Sam Ratulangi University (UNSRAT) in North Sulawesi' Indonesia.

In addition to the Indonesia partnership' Simon hopes to expand CQUniversity's work in ruminant nutrition and metabolism' both in Australia and overseas.

"This work will be in alignment with CQUniversity's existing strengths in precision livestock management and we will be looking to marry these two disciplines'" Simon explained.

"I think CQUniversity is at a very exciting stage of its development' and I am looking forward to making a contribution to that development in the agricultural research space".

"There are exciting opportunities for research impact when you are in close proximity to major beef' goat and sheep production regions of Australia' and I am looking forward to meeting producers across the region in the near future."

Simon said the opportunity to contribute to the University's existing reputation for industry engagement and regional impact was one of the many drawcards of his new position.