Rebecca Hickson
{{Short description|New Zealand animal production professor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox academic
| name = Rebecca Hickson
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = {{#statements:P18}}
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{#statements:P569}}
| birth_place = {{#statements:P19}}
| death_date = {{#statements:P570}}
| death_place = {{#statements:P20}}
| resting_place = {{#statements:P119}}
| resting_place_coordinates =
| other_names =
| citizenship =
| nationality =
| fields =
| workplaces = {{#statements:P108}}
| patrons =
| alma_mater = {{#statements:P69}}
| thesis1_title = Assistance at parturition of primiparous, two-year-old, Angus heifers and the effect of liveweight gain of heifers in early pregnancy on birth weight of the calf
| thesis1_url = https://hdl.handle.net/10179/3355
| thesis1_year = 2009
| doctoral_advisor = {{#statements:P184}}
| academic_advisors = {{#statements:P1066}}
| doctoral_students =
| notable_students =
| known_for =
| author_abbrev_bot =
| author_abbrev_zoo =
| influences =
| influenced =
| awards = {{#statements:P166}}
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| website =
| footnotes =
| spouse =
| children =
}}
Rebecca Edith Hickson is a New Zealand academic scientist, and is a full professor at Massey University, specialising in improving the production of beef from cast-off dairy calves.
Academic career
Hickson completed a PhD titled Assistance at parturition of primiparous, two-year-old, Angus heifers and the effect of liveweight gain of heifers in early pregnancy on birth weight of the calf at Massey University in 2009.{{Cite thesis|title=Assistance at parturition of primiparous, two-year-old, Angus heifers and the effect of liveweight gain of heifers in early pregnancy on birth weight of the calf|last=Hickson|first=Rebecca Edith|type=PhD thesis|publisher=Massey Research Online|url=https://hdl.handle.net/10179/3355|date=2009|hdl=10179/3355 }} Her research was supervised by professors Stephen Morris, Paul Kenyon and Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos.{{Cite web |last=Zealand |first=Massey University, New |title=My Doctoral Story - Rebecca Hickson (2009) - Massey University |url=https://shado-ns.massey.ac.nz/massey/expertise/phd-student-profiles/doctoral-my-story.cfm?studid=Fu8vbFfUzNM= |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=shado-ns.massey.ac.nz |language=en-NZ}} Hickson then joined the faculty of Massey University, rising to full professor in 2022.{{Cite news |last=Massey News |date=25 November 2021 |title=2021 Professorial promotions announced |url=https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/news/2021-professorial-promotions-announced/ |work=Massey News}} As of 2022, she was the chair of the Massey Animal Ethics Committee. At the time of her promotion to professor, Hickson had published 145 peer-reviewed articles and supervised 32 post-graduate students.
Hickson's research focuses on beef production, and with Professor Steve Morris she leads a long-running research trial to try to find better beef cows by breeding from cast-off dairy calves. The research is funded by Beef + Lamb NZ.{{Cite web |title=Seeking the best 'outcast' cows |url=https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-management/seeking-the-best-outcast-cows |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz |publisher=Rural News Group|language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |date=2024-02-13 |title=Putting the bull before rewards |url=https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/farm-management/putting-the-bull-before-rewards/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=www.farmersweekly.co.nz |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-11-23 |title=Pāmu aims to leave no calf behind |url=https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/news/pamu-aims-to-leave-no-calf-behind/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=www.farmersweekly.co.nz |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Taste-test new meat product at National Fieldays |url=https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/news/taste-test-new-meat-product-at-national-fieldays/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=www.massey.ac.nz |language=en-NZ}} The research programme encompasses genetics, breeding for traits such as pelt and meat quality, as well as weight-gain, calving ease and length of gestation, breeding efficiency and longevity. Environmental and animal welfare perspectives are also taken into account, and Hickson has helped developed animal welfare protocols for cows in beef calf–cow systems.{{Cite journal |last1=Kaurivi |first1=Y. Baby |last2=Hickson |first2=Rebecca |last3=Laven |first3=Richard |last4=Parkinson |first4=Tim |last5=Stafford |first5=Kevin |date=September 2020 |title=Developing an Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Cows in Extensive Beef Cow-Calf Systems in New Zealand. Part 2: Categorisation and Scoring of Welfare Assessment Measures |journal=Animals |language=en |volume=10 |issue=9 |pages=1592 |doi=10.3390/ani10091592 |doi-access=free |pmid=32906782 |pmc=7552219 |issn=2076-2615}}{{Cite web |title=Tuapaka Hill Country research symposium |url=https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/news/tuapaka-hill-country-research-symposium/ |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=www.massey.ac.nz |language=en-NZ}} The research programme has contributed to the government-owned Pāmū (Landcorp) herd setting a goal of 2030 to rear all its non-replacement calves on its 45 farms.
Selected works
{{scholia}}
- {{Cite Q|Q36676081}}
- {{Cite Q|Q125805810}}
- {{Cite Q|Q125805811}}
- {{Cite Q|Q83348178}}
- {{Cite Q|Q64067291|doi-access=free}}
- {{Cite Q|Q92082678}}
- {{Cite Q|Q125805809}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD0p0S47Df4 Beef Genetics for the Dairy Industry] - Dr Rebecca Hickson, 23 May 2016, via YouTube
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hickson, Rebecca}}
Category:New Zealand academics
Category:New Zealand women academics