Dr Will van Wettere

• Biography/ Background

  Will completed his first degree (Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Hons)) at the University of Edinburgh, and worked for three years on dairy farms in New Zealand and South Australia. In 2006, he completed a PhD with Professor Paul Hughes and Dr Dean Revell on Reproductive Physiology of the Female Pig at the University of Adelaide. Following this, he accepted and completed a three year Pork CRC post-doctoral research fellowship, during which time his research focussed primarily on improving the reproductive performance of gilts and early parity sows. Will joined the University of Adelaide School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences as a lecturer in Intensive Livestock (pigs) in August 2009.

• Research Interests

  Will's research interests focus on the interface between nutritional status, ovarian function, oocyte developmental competence and early embryo development with the aim of improving the reproductive performance and longevity of female pigs. Additional research interests include understanding and alleviating seasonal infertility, and the development of alternative housing strategies for gestating and lactating sows.

  Will's research focus involves collaborations within two research groups: 

  Production Animal Health Team

  Reproduction and Genetics Team

  a) current research projects

  Use of Natural Stimuli to induce ovulation and maximise fertility in lactating sows (The CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork)

  Optimising management of group-housed gestating sows (The CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork)

  Using pig appeasing pheromones to reduce stress and fighting in group housed gestating sows (South Australian Pig Industry Fund)

  Determining the effects of season on timing of ovulation and luteal function (The CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork)

  Pre-farrowing prediction of litter size: towards improving sow metabolic status during the peri-partum period (The CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork)

  Managing the sow to stimulate lactation ovulation (The CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork)

  Dietary Ractopamine supplementation to improve the productivity of early parity sows (The CRC for High Integrity Australian Pork)

  Feeding strategies to reduce 'frustration' and aggression amongst group housed gilts and sows (Australian Pork)

  Evaluating space requirements of group-housed, pregnant sows at different parities (Australian Pork)

  b) current postgraduate projects

  Management of sows to stimulate lactational oestrus (Robyn Terry; co-supervised with Dr Karen Kind)

  Effect of lactation and boar exposure post-partum on ovarian function and oestrus expression (Alice Weaver; co-supervised with Dr Karen Kind)

  Effect of group housing on sow and litter performance and behaviour (Anthony Martyniuk)

  d) current honours projects

  Effect of moderate nutritional restriction pre-mating and season on oocyte developmental competence (Alyce-Maree Swinbourne; Co-supervised with Dr Karen Kind)

  Effect of polyamine supplementation pre-and post-weaning on piglet growth and development (Jessie Thomson; co-supervised with Dr Rebecca Forder)

  Effect of feed restriction pre- and post- mating on pregnancy outcomes (Patricia Condous; co-supervised with Ass. Prof Roy Kirkwood)

  Effect of oestrus stimulation immediately post-partum on oestrus expression and ovarian cyclicity (Centaine Kaisler-Smith; co-supervised with Dr Karen Kind)

  e) previous honours projects

  Feeding strategies to reduce 'frustration' and aggression amongst group housed gilts and sows (Anthony Martyniuk (2011); co-supervised with Dr Susan Hazel))

  Improving piglet performance through polyamine supplementation (Tahlia Sobko (2010); co-supervised with Dr Rebecca Forder)

  Improving sow reproductive output through dietary manipulation in late lactation (Leah Frazer (2010); co-supervised with Dr Karen Kind and Prof. Paul Hughes)

  Nutritional strategies to alleviate seasonal infertility with gilt pools (Alice Weaver (2010); co-supervised with Dr Karen Kind)

  Arginine supplementation of lactation diets to improve milk production and piglet growth (Sarah Knapp (2010); co-supervised with Dr Karen Kind and Dr Kathy Gatford)

  Dietary strategies to alleviate insulin resistance in nulliparous sows (Paul Herde (2010); co-supervised with Dr Karen Kind and Dr Kathy Gatford)

  Supplementing sow lactation diets with ractopamine and betaine: effects on sow tissue mobilisation, milk production and piglet growth performance (Rhiannon Sellen (2009))

  Circulating pST profiles in pregnancy in the pig (Kate Taylor (2009); co-supervised with Dr Kathy Gatford and Dr Karen Kind)

  Effect of three peri-and post-weaning dietary regimes on piglet performance, immune status and intestinal sucrase activity (Robyn Terry (2009); co-supervised with Prof. Gordon Howarth).

  Evaluation of betaine as a supplement to pregnant ewes; effects on foetal growth and lactation (Emma Babisweski (2009); co-supervised with Prof Phil Hynd).

  Management of livestock nutrition under subsistence farming conditions in Eastern Gansu Province, China (Amy Paten (2009); co-supervised with Dr Sarah Pain)

  Effect of water temperature on gut transit time, digestive enzyme activity and nutrient digestibility in yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) (Richard Miegel (2008); co-supervised with Dr Sarah Pain, Prof Gordon Howard and Dr David Stone)

  Puberty Stimulation in Gilts: Effects of PG600 and Boar Exposure (Amelia Bartlett (2006); co-supervised with Prof. Paul Hughes).

   

• Publications

  a) refereed journal articles

  van Wettere WHEJ, Mitchell M, Revell DK, Hughes PE (2011). Nutritional restriction of prepubertal liveweight gain impairs ovarian follicle growth and oocyte developmental competence of replacement gilts. Theriogenology. 75; 1301-1310.

  Gatford KL, Smits RJ, Collins CL, De Blasio MJ, Roberts CT, Nottle MB, van Wettere WH, Kind KL, Owens JA (2011). Maternal low-dose porcine somatotropin treatment in late gestation increases progeny weight at birth and weaning in sows but not in gilts. Journal of Animal Science. Epub ahead of print

  Miegel RP, Pain SJ, van Wettere WHEJ, Howarth GS, Stone DAJ (2010). Effect of water temperature on gut transit time, digestive enzyme activity and nutrient digestibility in yellowtail kingfish (Seriola Ialandi). Aquaculture. 308; 145-151.

  Gatford KL, DeBlasio MJ, Roberts CT, Nottle MB, Kind KL, van Wettere WH, Smits RJ, Owens JA. (2009). Responses to maternal GH or ractopamine during early-mid pregnancy are similar in primiparous and multiparous pregnant pigs. Journal of Endocrinology. 203; 143-154.

  Bartlett A, Pain SJ, Hughes PE, Stott P, van Wettere WH (2009). The effects of PG600 and boar exposure on oestrus detection and potential litter size following mating at either the induced (pubertal) or second oestrus. Animal Reproduction Science. 114 (1-3); 219 - 227.

  van Wettere WH, Pain SJ, Stott PG, Hughes PE (2008). Mixing gilts in early pregnancy does not affect embryo survival. Animal Reproduction Science. 104 (2-4); 382-388.

  van Wettere WH, Revell DK, Mitchell M, Hughes PE. (2006). Increasing the age of gilts at first boar contact improves the timing and synchrony of the pubertal response but does not affect potential litter size. Animal Reproduction Science. 95 (1-2); 97 - 106.

  b) refereed one-page papers

  Frazer LM, Kelly JM, Hughes P, Kind KL, van Wettere WHEJ (2011) Nutritional manipulation to improve lactation performance and ovarian function of primiparous sows. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p169. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Gatford KL, Taylor K, Kind KL, van Wettere WHEJ, Owens JA (2011). Pulsatile but not basal maternal growth hormone during late pregnancy predicts piglet birth weights. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p89. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Herde PJ, Kind K, Gatford KL, Hughes PE, van Wettere WHEJ (2011). Effect of feeding frequency and dietary fibre content during late gestation on lactation performance of first parity sows. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p251. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Hughes PE, Van Wettere WHEJ (2011). Nutritional manipulation of sows in late gestation to reduce stillbirth and improve pre-weaning mortality rates. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p161. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Knapp SA, Gatford KL, Kind KL, Owens JA, van Wettere WHEJ (2011). Dietary supplementation of L-arginine HCL increases lactating sow feed efficiency and promotes male piglet growth. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p91. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Terry R, Kind KL, Hughes PE, van Wettere WHEJ (2011). The effect of split-weaning on piglet growth. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p209. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Terry R, Kind K, Hughes PE, van Wettere WHEJ (2011). The effect of split-weaning and boar contact on the incidence of sow lactation oestrus. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p210. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Van Wettere WHEJ, Pain SJ, Forder B (2011). Oral spermine supplementation promotes pre-weaning growth and intestinal development of piglets. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p85. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Van Wettere WHEJ, Gatford KJ, Kennaway DJ, Hughes PE (2011). Seasonal differences in circulating progesterone concentrations in pregnant sows. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p84. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Van Wettere WHEJ (2011). Supplementary Betaine: effects on growth and reproductive performance of replacement gilts. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p83. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Van Wettere WHEJ, Smits RJ, Kennaway DJ, Hughes PE (2011). B-vitamin and methyl donor supplementation of gestating sow diets: effects on pregnancy outcomes and prolificacy. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p163. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  Weaver AC, Kind KL, Kelly JM, van Wettere WHEJ (2011). Feeding gilts high fibre diets prior to mating improves oocyte quality. In. Manipulating Pig Science XV, p168. Edited by R. J. Van Barneveld. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee

  van Wettere WHEJ, and P. Herde, (2009). Supplementing gestation diets with betaine increases litter size of summer mated sows. In ‘Manipulating Pig Production 12' (submitted January 2009)

  van Wettere WHEJ, Pain, S.J., and P.E. Hughes (2009) Supplementary ractopamine during lactation reduces sow weight loss and improves reproductive performance. In ‘Manipulating Pig Production 12'

  van Wettere WHEJ, Herde P, Hughes PE, and SJ Pain (2009) Effects of supplementing gilt diets with betaine during summer on reproductive performance. International Conference on Pig Reproduction (accepted).

  van Wettere WHEJ, Pain SJ, and PE Hughes (2007) Mixing in early pregnancy: effects on embryo survival. In ‘Manipulating Pig Production 11', pp 143, eds J.E. Paterson (Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee)

  Pain SJ, Hughes PE, and WHEJ van Wettere (2007) Supplementing lactating sow diets with ractopamine: effects on sow weight loss, milk composition and piglet growth. In ‘Manipulating Pig Production 11', pp 140, eds J.E. Paterson (Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee)

  Gatford KL, De Blasio MJ, Harland ML, Roberts CT, Heinemann G, Nottle M, Ashman R, Kind KL, van Wettere WHEJ, Pain S, Town S, and JA Owens (2007) Effects of maternal somatotropin injections or feeding ractopamine in early-mid pregnancy in gilts and sows. In ‘Manipulating Pig Production 11', pp 136, eds J.E. Paterson (Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee)

  van Wettere WHEJ, Mitchell M, Revell DK, and PE Hughes (2005) Liveweight gain affects gilt reproductive performance. In ‘Manipulating Pig Production 10', pp 200, eds J.E. Paterson (Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee)

  van Wettere WHEJ, Mitchell M, Schulz S, Revell DK, and PE Hughes (2005). The effect of growth characteristics on the ovarian follicle population of pre-pubertal gilts. In ‘Manipulating Pig Production 10', pp 201, eds J.E. Paterson (Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee)

  van Wettere WHEJ, Mitchell M, Revell DK, and PE Hughes (2005) Growth rate affects ovarian characteristics of prepubertal gilts. 7th International Conference on Pig Reproduction: pp 112

  van Wettere WHEJ, Revell DK, Mitchell M, and PE Hughes (2005) Gilt age at first boar contact affects the pubertal response but not potential litter size. International Conference on Pig Reproduction: pp 139

  
  c) Reviews and Book Chapters

  van Wettere WHEJ and PE Hughes (2007) Gilt management, Oocyte quality and Embryo survival. In Paradigms in Pig Science, pp 329 - 358. Edited by J. Wiseman, M.A. Varley, S. McOrist and B. Kemp. Nottingham University Press.

  van Wettere WHEJ, Mitchell M, Revell DK, and PE Hughes (2005). Management and nutritional factors affecting puberty attainment and first litter size in replacement gilts. In Manipulating Pig Production X, pp 180 - 192. Edited by J. E. Paterson. Australasian Pig Science Association, Werribee.

  d) Non-reviewed articles and conference abstracts

  Hughes PE and Van Wettere WHEJ. Seasonal Infertility in pigs, published by the Pork CRC in December 2010

  Van Wettere WHEJ, Bertoldo M, Hughes PE. Estrategias de control da infertilidade estacional em porcas. Albeitar Tratanentos hormonais. Publicacao para medicos veterinaries do sector de animais de producao. 2011 No. 3: p 14 - 18

  Van Wettere WHEJ, Bertoldo M, Hughes PE. Estragias de control de la infertilidad estacional en cerdas. Albeitar: publicacion veterinaria independiente. 2011 No 144. P 10 - 12.

  Kelly JM, Weaver A, Kleemann DO, Frazer LM, Kind KL, van Wettere WH, Walker SK (2010). An improved system for the in vitro production of porcine embryos. Reproduction, Fertility and Development, Vol. 23 No. 1 Pages 206 - 207

  Pain SJ, van Wettere WH (2009). Maximising gilt and sow reproductive performance. Advancing pork production seminar (p. 11-12). 8 June 2009, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Animal Nutrition Division, Massey University. [Conference Contribution - Full Abstract in Published Proceedings, Research]

   

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 29 Mar 2022

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