Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Filters

2015 - 201912020 - 20231

Settings

Subject: search.filters.subject.needs analysis

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Reproductive Performance of Triplet-Bearing Ewes on Commercial Farms and Research Priorities Identified by Sheep Producers to Improve the Survival of Triplet-Bearing Ewes and Their Lambs
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-04-05) Thompson AN; Allington T; Blumer S; Cameron J; Kearney G; Kubeil L; Lockwood A; Trompf J; Winslow E; Kenyon P; Duarte MS; Gionbell MP
    Consultation with sheep producers was used to quantify the mortality of triplet-bearing ewes and their lambs, identify management practices adopted by producers to reduce these losses and prioritise future research needs to improve the survival of triplet-bearing ewes and their lambs. Surveys were completed by 64 producers across Australia who identified and separated triplet-bearing ewes from twin-bearing ewes in 2017 and/or 2018. On average, 5.9% of all ewes mated were identified as carrying triplets (6.6% of non-Merino ewes and 2.9% of Merino ewes). The average mortality of triplet-bearing ewes was 6.4%, and ewe mortality did not differ significantly between ewe breeds. The average survival of triplet-born lambs was 59%, and survival was significantly higher for lambs from non-Merino compared to Merino ewes (60.1 vs. 52.9%, p < 0.05). The key strategies adopted to reduce the mortality of triplet-bearing ewes and their lambs included management of condition score, feed-on-offer, mob size at lambing and use of shelter. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in the average mortality of triplet-bearing ewes or their lambs between producers that prioritised the adoption of certain management practices. However, significant variation existed between producers in their targets at lambing for ewe condition score (2.8 to 3.5), mob size (10 to 150 ewes) and feed-on-offer (800 to 2500 kg dry matter/ha). Overwhelmingly, the highest priorities for further research identified by producers from surveys, workshops and a webinar were ewe condition score, mob size, feed-on-offer at lambing and mineral supplementation. This study informs benchmarks for mortality of triplet-bearing ewes and their lambs under extensive grazing conditions in Australia, and the priorities for future research to reduce these losses.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Introduction to needs analysis for increasing first year engineering students’ ability in conceptual design
    (School of Engineering, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia, 6/12/2015) Shekar, A; Goodyer, J; Drain, AR; Iskander, P; Georgy, M; Oo, A; Patel, A; Hilditch, T; Chandran, S
    PURPOSE This study examines the influence of presenting a structured set of user-centred-design resources, in addition to taught content and presented by student mentors, on creating unique concepts for a EWB project. The study focuses on how needs analysis techniques were introduced to the students through student-student mentoring and puts emphasis on its application within their projects. This paper investigates whether the approach of additional design techniques being presented through student-student mentoring improves first year engineering students’ performance in the process of conceptual design (i.e. identifying the problem, design thinking and practices). It shows how this approach can potentially improve student engagement; provide a better understanding of the context to an engineering problem, and lead students into asking the right questions. The study was carried out in hope that it would enlighten the students to think in a more innovative and user-centred manner.