Prof Hugh Blair BAgrSc(Hons), PhD

Professor Blair grew up on a hill country sheep and beef cattle farm in Kotemaori, northern Hawkes Bay.  He graduated from Massey University in 1976 and joined the Sheep Husbandry Department to lecture and undertake a PhD.  After a spell as a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University, he returned to Massey in 1983 as a lecturer in animal science.  In 1995 he became Professor of Animal Science and in 1998 assumed the role of Deputy Head of the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Science.  Professor Blair lectures in animal breeding and genetics to undergraduate and postgraduate students.  His main research interests are: improving the application of animal breeding and genetic technologies to the improvement of production and service animals in New Zealand; understanding developmental programming to improve production animal performance and the study of the genetic causes of diseases.  Professor Blair has supervised 72 postgraduate students, 23 being PhD graduates, and currently supervises 14 postgraduate students.