Research interests

• Animal breeding and genetics
• Genetic improvement in efficiency of feed utilisation in beef cattle
• Breeding systems design in beef cattle
• Growth and development in livestock.

Background

Paul Arthur heads NSW Department of Primary Industries largest research centre, providing scientific leadership for the centre’s research, diagnostics and advisory effort.

He joined NSW Agriculture* in 1991 as a research scientist and has undertaken research in beef cattle breeding and genetics, and in livestock growth and development. He has over 25 years scientific research experience in Ghana, Canada and Australia, and has written over 200 scientific papers, half of which are peer-reviewed publications.

Paul is currently a Principal Research Scientist, Research Leader of NSW DPI’s Animal Genetics Research Unit and Director of NSW DPI’s Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute. He has held senior scientific leadership roles in the Cooperative Research Centre for Beef Genetic Technologies.

*NSW Department of Primary Industries was formed on July 1, 2004 through an amalgamation of NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources.

Qualifications

• B.Sc. (Agric) – University of Ghana 1977
• M.Sc. Animal Breeding and Genetics – University of Alberta (Canada) 1982
• PhD Animal Genetics – University of Alberta (Canada) 1990

Current projects

• Improving the efficiency of feed utilisation for beef production
• Divergent selection for feed efficiency in Angus cattle
• Feed efficiency gene discovery and gene expression
• Genetic improvement of cattle for reduced greenhouse gas emissions 
• Growth and development in  livestock.

Recent Publications

Giles LR, Eamens GJ, Arthur PF Barchia IM, James KJ and Taylor RD (2009) Differential growth and development of pigs as assessed by X-ray computed Tomography. J. Anim. Sci. 87: 1648-1658.

Herd RM and Arthur PF (2009) Physiological basis for residual feed intake. J. Anim. Sci. 87: E64-E71.

O’Rourke BA,  Dennis JA, Healy PJ, McKiernan WA, Greenwood PL, Cafe LM, Perry D, Walker KH, Marsh I, Parnell PF and Arthur PF (2009) Quantitative analysis of performance, carcass and meat quality traits in cattle from two Australian beef herds in which null myostatin alleles are segregating. Anim. Prod. Sci. 49: 297-305.

Schutt KM, Arthur PF and Burrow HM (2009) Brahman and first-cross cattle grown on pasture and in feedlots in subtropical and temperate Australia. 3. Feed efficiency and feeding behaviour of feedlot finished animals. Anim. Prod. Sci. 49: 452-460.

Arthur PF, Barchia IM and Giles LR (2008)  Optimum duration of performance tests for evaluating growing pigs for growth and feed efficiency traits. J. Anim. Sci. 86: 1096-1105.

Arthur PF and Herd RM (2008) Residual feed intake in beef cattle. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia (Brazilian J. Anim. Sci.) 37 (Special Supplement): 269-279.

Hogue MA, Arthur PF, Hiramoto K, Gilmour AR and Oikawa T (2007) Variance components due to direct genetic, maternal genetic and permanent environmental effect for growth and feed efficiency traits in young male Japanese Black cattle. J. Anim. Breed. Genet. 124:102-107.

Arthur PF and Herd RM (2006) Selection for growth and feed efficiency – The Australian experience. J. Integrated Field Sci. 3:59-66.

Hoque MA, Arthur PF, Hiramoto K and Oikawa T (2006) Genetic parameters for carcass traits of field progeny and their relationships with feed efficiency traits of their sire population for Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle. Livest. Sci. 100: 251-260.

Hoque MA, Arthur PF, Hiramoto K and Oikawa T (2006) Genetic relationship between different measures of feed efficiency and its component traits in Japanese Black (Wagyu) bulls. Livest. Sci. 99:111-118.

Arthur PF and Herd RM (2006) Genetic relationships between residual feed intake and other economically important traits in beef cattle. 8th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. 13 – 18 August 2006. pp. Communication No. 14-19.

Arthur PF and Herd RM (2005) Efficiency of feed utilisation by livestock – Implications and benefits of genetic improvement. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 85: 281-290.

Arthur PF, Herd RM, Wilkins JF and Archer JA (2005) Maternal productivity of Angus cows divergently selected for postweaning residual feed intake. Aust. J. Exp. Agric. 45: 985-993.

Hegarty RS, Herd RM, Goopy JP, McCorkell B and Arthur PF (2005) Selection for residual feed intake can change methane production by feedlot steers. Proceedings of the 16th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. pp 334-337.

Herd RM, Arthur PF and Archer JA (2005) When pastures limit growth rate of steers those bred for low residual feed intake grow faster. Proceedings of the 16th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. pp 330-333.

Professional associations and activities

• Member American Society of Animal Science
• Member Australian Society of Animal Production
• Member Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics

Fields of Research

• 070201 Animal Breeding
• 070202 Animal Growth and Development

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Animal husbandry
• Animal breeding
• Animal growth and development

Contact details