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    Staff Directory

    Dr Emma Bleach

    Senior Lecturer

    Photograph of Emma

    Emma is a Senior Lecturer in Animal Science. She is from a dairy farming background and is interested in all things dairy! She graduated from The University of Reading with a PhD in Reproductive Physiology and Endocrinology. Her thesis is titled 'Ovarian follicle dynamics in dairy cows: associations with pregnancy rate, hormone profiles and diet'. The reseach used ultrasonography to monitor ovarian follicle development in dairy cows alongside radio- and enzyme- immunoassays to monitor associated reproductive hormones. She has maintained a particular interest in managing reproduction in dairy cows to optimise the efficiency and sustainability of dairy production systems, most recently supervising a PhD student investigating factors that influence oestrus expression in dairy cows, monitored using sensor technologies. 

    Emma's other main research and teaching focus is dairy calf rearing systems to optimise the growth, health and well-being of calves and heifers. Her research includes investigations of milk feeding options for calves, concentrate and other addional feeds, calf management options such as use of calf jackets and the use of sensor technologies to monitor the health and well-being of calves. She has also used qualitiative research methods to investigate youngstock management practices and service provision in the animal health sector.

    Undergraduate teaching:

    BSc Agriculture & Routes, BSc Animal Production Science

    • Animal Production (LM) (A4012C17)
    • Farm Animal Production Science (A5001C17) module leader
    • Sustainable Livestock Production (A5006C17)

    Post-Graduate course management:

    Post-graduate teaching:

    PgC / PgD/ MSc Ruminant Nutrition 

    • Ruminant Animal Production & the Feed Industry (A7081) Module leader
    • Recent Advances in Ruminant Nutrition - Calf and heifer nutrition (A7079)
    • Ration formulation and Feeding Systems (A7080)

    PgC / PgD / MSc Agricultural Systems and Production Systems

    • Principles and Practice of Livestock Husbandry (A7071)

     

    PhD supervisions

    Current supervisions

    • The behavioural, physiological and production effects of dairy cow-calf rearing systems
    • Evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract faecal microbiome in dairy calves as an indicator of welfare
    • Equine anthelmintic resistance: a qualitative investigation into attitudes, beliefs and practices on the use of equine anthelmintics in the United Kingdom

    Previous supervisions

    • A qualitative social science investigation of UK dairy calf health and welfare (Laura Palczynski, 2021)
    • Investigations of factors that influence oestrous expression in dairy cattle (Hawar Zebari, 2019)
    • Service provision in the animal health sector (Alison Pyatt, 2017)
    • Factors that influence dairy cow preference to be indoors or at pasture (Priya Motupali, 2014)
    • Assessing the impact of lameness on gait and behaviour of dairy cattle: Development of an automated lameness detection system (Nicola Blackie, 2009)

    MRes supervision

    Previous supervisions

    • To investigate the effect of concentration of equine sperm quality following cryopreserving and to investigate the effect of re-freezing (Bethany Morse-Wolfe, 2021)

    Research areas

    • Youngstock rearing practices including dairy calves and heifers, dairy-bred beef calves 
      • Current projects
        • Cow-calf rearing
        • TMRs for dairy calves
        • Whole milk for dairy-bred beef calves
    • Reproductive processes particularly in dairy cows. Current research is looking at 
      • Current projects
        • Using hormones in dairy cow reproductive management
        • factors affecting oestrus expression in dairy cows
        • Factors influencing dairy cow productivity
        • Using Cow Signals to monitor the wellbeing of cattle

    Research Profiles

     

     

     

    Professional Memberships

    British Society ofAnimal Science (BSAS)

    Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

    Academic Department: Agriculture and Environment

    Tel: +44 (0)1952 81 5079

    Office: AC10 Aspire Centre

    Research profile:

    Research profile:

    Publications

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    Other publications

    • Palczynski, L.J., Bleach, E.C.L., Brennan, M.L. and Robinson, P.A. (2022) Youngstock Management as “The Key for Everything”? Perceived Value of Calves and the Role of Calf Performance Monitoring and Advice on Dairy Farms Frontiers in Animal Science 3
    • Charlton, G., Gauld, C., Veronesi, F., Rutter, S.M. and Bleach, E. (2022) Assessing the accuracy of leg mounted sensors for recording dairy cow behavioural activity at pasture, in cubicle housing and a straw yard Animals 12
    • Pyatt, Alison Z; Wright, Gillian H; Walley, Keith; Bleach, Emma CL (2021) Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science 4
    • Palczynski, L.J., Bleach, E.C., Brennan, M.L. and Robinson, P.A. (2021) Stakeholder perceptions of disease management for dairy calves:“it’s just little things that make such a big difference” Animals 11
    • Bolton, O., Charlton, G. and Bleach, E. (2021) A preliminary evaluation of British farmers’ perception of dairy cow-calf rearing Animal-science proceedings 12
    • Pyatt, A.Z., Walley, K., Wright, G.H. and Bleach, E.C. (2020) Co-produced care in veterinary services: a qualitative study of UK stakeholders’ perspectives Veterinary Sciences 7
    • Palczynski, L.J., Bleach, E.C.L., Brennan, M.L. and Robinson, P.A (2020) Animals 10
    • Palczynski, L.J., Bleach, E.C.L., Brennan, M.L. and Robinson, P.A. (2020) Animal Welfare 29
    • 3. Atkins, N.E., Bleach, E.C.L., Mackenzie, A.M., Hargreaves, P.R. and Sinclair, L.A. (2020) Livestock Science 231
    • Charlton, G.L., Bleach, E.C.L. and Rutter, S.M. (2019) Journal of Dairy Science 102
    • Zebari, H.M., Rutter, S.M. and Bleach, E.C.L. (2019) Animal Reproduction Science 202
    • Atkins, N.A., Bleach. E.C.L., Hargreaves, P.R. and Sinclair, L.A (2018) Grass and Forage Science 73
    • Zebari, H.M., Rutter, S.M. and Bleach, E.C.L. (2018) Applied Animal Behaviour Science 206
    • Pyatt, A.Z., Wright, G.H., Walley, K.E., Bleach, E.C.L., (2017) Value co-creation in high involvement services: the animal healthcare sector International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management 45 (doi: 10.1108/IJRDM-11-2016-0209)
    • Pyatt, A., Wright, G. Bleach, E. and Walley, K. (2014) Looking to the future - Equipping the graduate for modern-day practice
    • Blackie, N., Bleach, E., Amory, J. and Scaife, J. (2013) The effect of locomotion score and foot lesions on kinematic measures of gait in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 96 (3564-3572)
    • Satchell, L. Glister, C., Dai, Y., Bleach, E.C., Anand-Ivell, R. and Knight, P.G. (2013) Ovarian expression of insulin-like peptide 3 (INSL3) and its receptor (RXFP2) during development of bovine antral follicles and corpora lutea and measurement of circulating INSL3 levels during synchronized estrous cycles. Endocrinology 154
    • Blackie, N., Amory, J., Bleach, E. and Scaife, J. (2011) The effect of lameness on lying behaviour of zero grazed Holstein dairy cattle Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 134
    • Blackie, N., Bleach, E., J. Amory, and J. Scaife. (2011) Impact of lameness on gait characteristics and lying behaviour of zero grazed dairy cattle in early lactation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 129
    • Blackie, N., Scaife, J.R. and Bleach, E.C.L. (2006) Lying behaviour and activity of early lactation Holstein dairy cattle measured using an activity monitor Cattle Practice 14 (139-142)
    • Bleach, E.C.L., Gould, M. Blackie, N. and Beever, D.E. (2005) Growth performance of Holstein-Friesian heifer calves reared using three milk replacer feeding regimes Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition
    • Bleach, ECL, Glencross, RG and Knight, PG (2004) Association between ovarian follicle development and pregnancy rates in dairy cows undergoing spontaneous oestrous cycles Reproduction 127
    Additional Information

    Cow Signals Certified Master Trainer

    Modules

    You can contact Dr Emma Bleach if you would like to discuss any of the following course modules:

    Contact

    Enquiry

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