The University of Western Australia
Assoc/Prof Roberta Bencini
Associate Professor
Contact details
| Address | School of Animal Biology The University of Western Australia (M092) 35 Stirling Highway CRAWLEY WA 6009 Australia |
|---|---|
| Phone | 6488 2521 |
| Fax | 6488 2243 |
| rbencini@animals.uwa.edu.au |
Biography
I have been an academic at The University of Western Australia since 1993. In 1995 I started developing new teaching programmes in Natural Resource Management, focussed on the management of wildlife. Soon I started supervising honours and postgraduate students with projects in wildlife conservation. It was one of these students, Ms Harriet Mills, who expressed an interest in a PhD project on the Dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis).
We started working together on the dibbler in 1997 when I became a member of the Dibbler Recovery Team and we were part of the expedition that collected the founders of a captive colony established at Perth Zoo. From this colony we established a new population of dibblers on Escape Island. This has considerably improved the chance of survival for the species. My team has investigated the island ecosystems inhabited by dibblers since 1997. This work culminated in the discovery that the availability of resources determines facultative die-off in the males of this species.
We started working together on the dibbler in 1997 when I became a member of the Dibbler Recovery Team and we were part of the expedition that collected the founders of a captive colony established at Perth Zoo. From this colony we established a new population of dibblers on Escape Island. This has considerably improved the chance of survival for the species. My team has investigated the island ecosystems inhabited by dibblers since 1997. This work culminated in the discovery that the availability of resources determines facultative die-off in the males of this species.
Key research
- Ecology and managament of endangered marsupials and wildlife management.
- Methods of mitigation of road kills, including underpasses and their use by fauna.
- Physiology of lactation, dairy production from sheep, dairy science and technology.
- Nutrition strategies to increase the health benefits of milk and dairy products.
- Welfare and behaviour of dairy sheep and their effect on milk production, milk composition and the processing performance of the milk
Major research interests
- Conservation biology
- Physiology of lactation
Qualifications
BSc Milan, PhD W.Aust.
Publications
Selected Publications
ROBERTA BENCINI
JOURNAL ARTICLES (IN SCHOLARLY REFEREED JOURNALS)
Bencini R. and Pulina G. (1997). The quality of sheep milk. A review. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 37, 485-504.
Mills H.R. and Bencini R. (2000). New evidence for facultative male die-off in island populations of dibblers (Parantechinus apicalis). Australian Journal of Zoology. 48, 501-510.
Wolfe K.M., Robertson H. and Bencini R. (2000). The Mating Behaviour of the dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis, in captivity. Australian Journal of Zoology. 48, 541-550.
Bencini R., McCulloch C., Mills H.R. and Start A.N. (2001). Habitat and diet of the Dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) on two islands in Jurien Bay. Wildlife Research. 28, 465-468.
Bencini R. (2002). Factors affecting the clotting properties of sheep milk. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 85, 705-719.
Nudda A., Bencini R., Mijatovic S., and Pulina G. (2002). The Yield and Composition of Milk in Sarda, Awassi and Merino Sheep Milked Unilaterally at Different Frequencies. Journal of Dairy Science. 85, 2879-2884.
Bencini R., Knight T.W. and Hartmann P.E. (2003). Secretion of milk and milk components in sheep. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 43, 529-534.
Kitessa, S.M., Peake, D., Bencini R. and Williams A.J. (2003). Fish oil metabolism in ruminants. III. Transfer of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from tuna oil into sheep's milk. Animal Feed Science & Technology. 108, 1-14.
Iaschi S.P.A., Hui J., Chong F.N., Strange A, Strange M., Bencini R, Tay G.K. (2004). Comparison of the milk quality of the South African Boer and Australian rangeland goats. Small Ruminant Research. 53, 181-184.
Wolfe K.M., Mills H.R., Garkaklis M.J. and Bencini, R. (2004). Post-mating survival in a small marsupial is associated with nutrient inputs from seabirds. Ecology. 85, 1740-1746.
Burton M. and Bencini R. (2005). Consumer acceptance of new sheep milk cheeses. Australian Agribusiness Review. 13, Paper 6.
Banchero G.E., Perez Clariget R., Bencini R., Lindsay D.R., Milton J.T.B. and Martin G.B. (2006). Endocrine and metabolic factors involved in the effect of nutrition on the production of colostrum in female sheep. Reproduction Nutrition Development 46, 447-460.
Clément P., Agboola S.O.and Bencini R. (2006). A study of polymorphism in milk proteins from local and imported breeds in Australia by capillary electrophoresis. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und Technologie. 39, 63-69.
Muirhead S., Blache D., Wykes B. and Bencini R. (2006). Roo-Guard® sound emitters are not effective at deterring tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) from a source of food. Wildlife Research. 33, 131-136.
Start A.N., Moro D., Adams M. and Bencini R. (2006). Dunnarts from Boullanger Island: New evidence and reassessment of a taxonomic issue with resource implications. Australian Mammalogy. 28, 51-58.
BOOKS AND CHAPTERS IN BOOKS
Bencini R. and Dawe S. (1998). Sheep Milking. In The New Rural Industries - A Handbook for farmers and Investors Published by The Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation. 69-75.
Bencini R. (1999). Development of specialty sheep milk dairy products – Increasing the market scope. A report for The Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation. RIRDC Publ. No 99/69, ISBN 0 64257998 9.
Bencini R. and Agboola S.O. (2003). Marketable products from sheep milk. A report for The Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation. RIRDC Publ. No 02/143, ISBN 0 64258542 3.
Pulina G., Editor, and Bencini R., Technical Reader (2004). Dairy sheep nutrition. CABI Publishing,Wallingford, UK 222 pp. ISBN 0 85199 681 7.
Bencini R. (2005). Dairy products and farming techniques for the sheep milking industry A report for The Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation. RIRDC Publ No 05/142, ISBN 1 74151 205 0.
Adams M., Bencini R. and Macfarlane C.K. (2006). Climate. In Ecology: An Australian Perspective. Edited By P Attiwill & B Wilson, Melbourne, Oxford University Press. Second Edition. 36-53.
Chambers B.K. and Bencini R. (2007). The impact of human disturbance on the population dynamics and ecology of tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) on Garden Island, Western Australia. Submitted to Blackwell Publications for inclusion in the book "Macropods in the 21st century: genome to GIS”.
Chambers B.K., Dawson R., Wann J. and Bencini R. (2007). Using GIS to determine factors affecting road-kills of tammars (Macropus eugenii) on Garden Island, Western Australia. Submitted to Blackwell Publications for inclusion in the book "Macropods in the 21st century: genome to GIS”.
McMillan A., Coupland G., Chambers B.K., Mills H.R. and Bencini R. (2007). Determining the diet of tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) on Garden Island, Western Australia using stable isotopes analysis. Submitted to Blackwell Publications for inclusion in the book "Macropods in the 21st century: genome to GIS”.
MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS
Bencini R. and Hennig W. S. (1997). 'Animal Stack': a computer simulated animal dissection. The University of Western Australia.
INVITED PAPERS
Bencini R. (2001). Factors affecting the quality of ewe’s milk. Proceedings 7th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium, November 1-3 2001 Eau Claire. Wisconsin. 52-83
Bencini R. (2001). The Australian Sheep Dairy Industry. Proceedings 7th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium, November 1-3 2001 Eau Claire. Wisconsin. 170-177.
Roles, responsibilities and expertise
Problem based learning
Processing performance of milk
Processing performance of milk
Future research
Use of stable isotopes to determine the role of marine inputs in the diets of fauna inhabiting coastal and island areas.
Funding received
I am a chief investigator on a nation-wide ARC linkage on Fertility control of kangaroos, wallabies and koalas.
I have attracted funds from Main Roads WA and UWA small grants to start a project on the use of underpasses by fauna.
My sheep milking research project has been supported by the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC) since 1994. More recently I have attracted an ARC Linkage grant to help the establishment of a sheep milking industry in Australia.
I have also attracted grants from the Australian Research Council (ARC) for work on the dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) and from the Committee for the Advencement of University teaching (CAUT) for the development of a computer simulated animal dissection.
I have attracted funds from Main Roads WA and UWA small grants to start a project on the use of underpasses by fauna.
My sheep milking research project has been supported by the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC) since 1994. More recently I have attracted an ARC Linkage grant to help the establishment of a sheep milking industry in Australia.
I have also attracted grants from the Australian Research Council (ARC) for work on the dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) and from the Committee for the Advencement of University teaching (CAUT) for the development of a computer simulated animal dissection.
Industrial relevance
Overabundant marsupials are a problem as often the public objects to their culling. We are currently ivestigations fertility control as an alternative to culling to manage these populations.
Road kills are a problem for both animals and people. The average damage to a car for hitting a kangaroo is about $ 3000.
Our work aims at reducing road kills by researching the efficacy of amelioration measures such as underpasses.
On the sheep milking front, a sheep milking industry would:
• Offer opportunities for diversification
• Create new local markets
• Help rural communities
• Create new jobs
Road kills are a problem for both animals and people. The average damage to a car for hitting a kangaroo is about $ 3000.
Our work aims at reducing road kills by researching the efficacy of amelioration measures such as underpasses.
On the sheep milking front, a sheep milking industry would:
• Offer opportunities for diversification
• Create new local markets
• Help rural communities
• Create new jobs
Languages
English and Italian
Memberships
Australian Mammal Society
Australasian Wildlife Management Society
Women and Infants Research Foundation
Dairy Industry Association of Australia
Australasian Wildlife Management Society
Women and Infants Research Foundation
Dairy Industry Association of Australia
Honours and awards
1996 - UWA Excellence in Innovation in Teaching Award – Commendation
1997 - UWA Research Assistance Award for Outstanding
Teachers
2001 - Pearson Education Uniserve Science Teaching Award –
Nomination (national award for innovative use of computers in tertiary teaching)
1997 - UWA Research Assistance Award for Outstanding
Teachers
2001 - Pearson Education Uniserve Science Teaching Award –
Nomination (national award for innovative use of computers in tertiary teaching)
Previous positions
1995 - 2001 Lecturer, Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia.
1992 - 1994 Associate Lecturer, Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia.
1990 - 1991 MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) Technology Research Fellow at Flock House Research Station, Bulls, New Zealand.
1992 - 1994 Associate Lecturer, Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia.
1990 - 1991 MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) Technology Research Fellow at Flock House Research Station, Bulls, New Zealand.
Teaching
I lecture in Science and its communication, Animal Resource Management, Wildlife Conservation & Management, Animal Production
Useful links
http://www.conservation.bees.unsw.edu.au/koala/index.shtml
Current projects
My current research projects include:
Wildlife management of overabundant populations of marsupials (possums, kangaroos, rock wallabies) thorugh fertility control.
Influence of road kills on wildlife and use of underpasses by fauna.
Establishing a sheep milking industry in Australia.
Wildlife management of overabundant populations of marsupials (possums, kangaroos, rock wallabies) thorugh fertility control.
Influence of road kills on wildlife and use of underpasses by fauna.
Establishing a sheep milking industry in Australia.
Research profile
