Research interests

• Animal breeding and genetics
• Genotype by environment interactions
• Genetic improvement in carcase muscling of beef cattle
• Beef cattle growth and development and impacts on carcase quality
• Modelling to predict cattle growth and carcase performance.

Background

Bill McKiernan spent 20 years at Scone as beef extension officer and developed expertise in cattle breeding, marketing and nutrition. He was responsible for much of the beef drought nutrition information for the Department. In the mid-1980’s conducted a series of research projects, funded by Meat & Livestock Australia, investigating the impact of muscularity on meat yield. The information gained formed the basis of the current National Livestock Language. Further, in the mid 1990’s Bill conducted research (in NSW and South Australia) again funded by MLA, investigating feeder steer description systems. In 1991 he established a muscling divergent cattle breeding program now at Glen Innes Research Station - investigating the impact of muscling and muscling genes on carcase and herd productivity.

Bill is currently a Research Leader for Animal Production in NSW DPI located at Orange, responsible for pig, dairy, ruminant nutrition and beef growth and development research. He is also a project leader for the Beef CRC investigation modelling techniques to predict cattle growth and carcase performance.

Qualifications

• HDASc
• MSc

Current projects

• Phenotypic prediction of cattle performance
• Predicting feedlot and carcase performance from live animal measures
• Divergent selection for muscling in Angus cattle
• Muscling gene discovery and gene expression
• Genetic and growth path impacts on carcase quality

Recent Publications

McKiernan WA, Wilkins JF, Graham JF, Tudor GD, Deland MPB, McIntyre BL, Orchard B, Walkley JRW, Davies L, Griffith GR and Irwin J (2007) Regional beef systems to meet market specifications. Final Report of Project SBP.006V2 to Meat & Livestock Australia. Beef CRC for Cattle and Beef Quality.

McKiernan WA, Wilkins JF, Irwin J and Barwick SA (2006) Live body composition assessments as predictors of carcase retail beef yield. Animal Production in Australia 26: Short Communication Number 18.

McKiernan WA, Wilkins JF, Graham JF, Tudor GD, Deland MPB, McIntyre BL, Walkley JRW, Barwick SA and Irwin J (2006) CRC ‘Regional Combinations’ Project – Regional beef systems to improve productivity and profitability. In: Proceedings – “Australian Beef – the leader! – the impact of science on the beef industry.” Beef CRC Conference, Armidale, NSW, March, 2006. pp. 127-134.

Griffith GR, Parnell PF and McKiernan W (2006) The economic, Environmental and Social Benefits to NSW from investment in the CRC for Beef Genetic Technologies, Economic Research Report No. 30, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Armidale, September.

Greenwood PL, Cafe LM, O’Rourke B and McKiernan W (2006) Myofibre characteristics in m. semitendinosus of steers from Angus muscling selection lines with normal and mutant myostatin alleles. Aust Soc Anim Prod 26th Biennial Conf Short Communication 15. 

Cafe LM, O’Rourke B, McKiernan W and Greenwood PL (2006) Carcass and yield characteristics of steers from Angus muscling selection lines with normal and mutant myostatin alleles. Aust Soc Anim Prod 26th Biennial Conf Short Communication 13.

O’Rourke BA, Dennis JA, McKiernan WA, Greenwood PL, Cafe L, Perry D, Arthur PF, Parnell PF and Walker KH (2006) Myostatin alleles as production markers. Final Report of Project BSC.033 to Meat & Livestock Australia. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Camden, May 2006.

McKiernan WA, Wilkins JF, Barwick SA, Tudor GD, McIntyre BL, Graham JG, Deland MPB, Davies L (2005) CRC ‘Regional Combinations’ project – effects of genetics and growth paths on beef production and meat quality: experimental design, methods and measurements. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45(7-8): 959-969

Professional associations and activities

• Australian Society of Animal Production
• Australian Association of Animal Breeding and Genetics

Fields of Research

• 070201 Animal Breeding
• 070204 Animal Nutrition
• 070202 Animal Growth and Development

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Beef cattle 
• growth and development 
• carcase 
• muscling

Contact details