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Dr Rhiannon Handcock staff profile picture

Contact details +64 (06) 356 9099

Dr Rhiannon Handcock PhD, BSc(Hons)

Lecturer - Animal Breeding and Genetics

Doctoral Co-Supervisor
School of Agriculture and Environment

Professional

Contact details

  • Location: AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding, Homestead
    Campus: Ruakura, Hamilton

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy - Massey University (2019)
  • Bachelor of Science (Honours) - Massey University (2015)

Certifications and Registrations

  • Licence, Co-Supervisor, Massey University

Research Expertise

Research Interests

My PhD was titled "Live weight and growth of dairy heifers are important for subsequent milk production and reproductive performance". During which I used a large dataset of dairy heifer liveweight records and investigated associations with future milk production, reproduction and stayability (survival). 

My research interests include animal breeding, genetics for the improvement of livestock through selection, growth and development with a particular interest in the dairy sector. 

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Agricultural And Veterinary Sciences (070000): Animal Breeding (070201): Animal Growth and Development (070202): Animal Production (070200): Animal Reproduction (070206):
Biological Sciences (060000): Genetics (060400)

Keywords

genetics, animal breeding, dairy production, growth and development

Research Projects

Summary of Research Projects

Position Current Completed
Project Leader 2 0

Research Outputs

Journal

Handcock, RC., Lopez-Villalobos, N., Back, PJ., Hickson, RE., & McNaughton, LR. (2021). Growth, milk production, reproductive performance, and stayability of dairy heifers born from 2-year-old or mixed-age dams. Journal of Dairy Science. 104(11), 11738-11746
[Journal article]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
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Meier, S., McNaughton, LR., Handcock, R., Amer, PR., Beatson, PR., Bryant, JR., . . . Burke, CR. (2021). Heifers with positive genetic merit for fertility traits reach puberty earlier and have a greater pregnancy rate than heifers with negative genetic merit for fertility traits. Journal of Dairy Science. 104(3), 3707-3721
[Journal article]Authored by: Handcock, R.
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Handcock, RC., Jenkinson, CMC., Laven, R., McNaughton, LR., Lopez-Villalobos, N., Back, PJ., . . . Hickson, RE. (2021). Linear versus seasonal growth of dairy heifers decreased age at puberty but did not affect first lactation milk production. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH. 64(1), 83-100
[Journal article]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Jenkinson, C., Laven, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
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4
Handcock, RC., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, LR., Back, PJ., Edwards, GR., & Hickson, RE. (2020). Increased yearling weight as a proportion of 21-month weight was associated with increased milk production in dairy heifers. New Zealand Veterinary Journal. 68(5), 272-282
[Journal article]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
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2
Handcock, RC., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, LR., Back, PJ., Edwards, GR., & Hickson, RE. (2020). Body weight of dairy heifers is positively associated with reproduction and stayability. Journal of Dairy Science. 103(5), 4466-4474
[Journal article]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
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Read Abstract: abstract icon
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Handcock, RC., Jenkinson, CMC., Laven, R., McNaughton, LR., Lopez-Villalobos, N., Back, PJ., . . . Hickson, RE. (2021). Linear versus seasonal growth of dairy heifers decreased age at puberty but did not affect first lactation milk production. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research. 64(1), 83-100
[Journal article]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Jenkinson, C., Laven, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
Read Online: DOI icon
Read Abstract: abstract icon
7
Handcock, RC., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, LR., Back, PJ., Edwards, GR., & Hickson, RE. (2019). Positive relationships between body weight of dairy heifers and their first-lactation and accumulated three-parity lactation production. Journal of Dairy Science. 102(5), 4577-4589
[Journal article]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
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Handcock, RC., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, LR., Back, PJ., Edwards, GR., & Hickson, RE. (2019). Live weight and growth of Holstein-Friesian, Jersey and crossbred dairy heifers in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research. 62(2), 173-183
[Journal article]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
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Conference

Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, LR., Back, PJ., Edwards, GR., & Hickson, RE. (2019). Dairy heifer live weight effects on reproduction and survival. Proceedings of the Society of Dairy Cattle Veterinarians of the NZVA Annual Conference. (pp. 89 - 96). : NZVA Annual Conference
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N., Back, PJ., Hickson, RE., & McNaughton, LR. (2019). Growth and milk production of dairy heifers born to two-year-old or mixed-age dams. New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production. (pp. 135 - 139).
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, LR., Back, PJ., Edwards, GR., & Hickson, RE. (2018). Dairy heifers: there is no such thing as too big. Proceedings of the New Zealand Veterinary Association – Dairy Vet Stream.
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, LR., Edwards, GR., & Hickson, RE. (2018). Positive relationship between live weight at first calving and first lactation milk production. Proceedings of the World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production. Vol. 11, Paper 126
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, LR., Edwards, GR., & Hickson, RE. (2017). Expression of heterosis for live weight in growth curves of New Zealand dairy heifers. Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Vol. 22
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.

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Handcock, RC., Lopez-Villalobos, N., McNaughton, L., Edwards, GR., & Hickson, RE. (2017). Growth curves of New Zealand Holstein-Friesian, Jersey and Holstein-Friesian-Jersey crossbred heifers. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. Vol. 77 (pp. 64 - 68). : New Zealand society of animal production
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Handcock, R., Lopez-Villalobos, N.
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Handcock, R., Hickson, RE., & Back, PJ. (2016). The use of alternative pastures on dry land farms in New Zealand to promote heifer growth. In A. Iwaasa, HA. Lardner, M. Schellenberg, W. Willms, & K. Larsen (Eds.) Proceedings International Rangelands Conference. (pp. 236 - 238).
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R.
Handcock, R., Lopdell, TJ., & McNaughton, LR. (2016). More dairy heifers are achieving liveweight targets. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. Vol. 76 (pp. 3 - 7).
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Handcock, R.
Handcock, RC., Hickson, RE., & Back, PJ. (2015). The use of herb mix and lucerne to increase growth rates of dairy heifers. In S. Peterson (Ed.) Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. Vol. 75 (pp. 132 - 135). : 75th New Zealand Society of Animal Production
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: Back, P., Handcock, R.
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Teaching and Supervision

Contact Supervisor

Summary of Doctoral Supervision

Position Current Completed
Co-supervisor 1 0

Current Doctoral Supervision

Co-supervisor of:

  • Jamie MacAlister - Doctor of Philosophy
    Added value wheat through applied genomic prediction

Media and Links

Other Links

  • The AgriSciencer - Summarising research in agriculture and animal science for the farming sector of New Zealand