Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute
(NSW Agriculture)

section heading graphic   Overview

Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI) is NSW Agriculture’s Centre of Excellence for animal and plant health. It is situated on 1600 hectares in the Sydney Basin and has modern purpose built laboratories as well as an automated research and commercial dairy, an environmentally controlled research piggery, a research beef herd and a group of buildings important to Australia’s agricultural heritage.

section heading graphic   Competitive Advantages

  • World recognised scientists with expertise in disease diagnosis, virology, microbiology, immunology and parasitology of livestock and plants.
  • Development of diagnostic tests for plant and animal diseases
  • Development of livestock vaccines
  • State of the art bio-secure laboratories and animal housing facilities.
  • Strong links between agricultural production, laboratory diagnosis, R & D and extension.
  • Genetically unique plant and animal tissues and micro-organisms.

section heading graphic   Technology

National & international leadership in R&D on, diagnosis of and vaccines for -

  • Viruses of veterinary importance including pestiviruses, arboviruses including bluetongue, emerging paramyxoviruses, rabbit calicivirus.
  • Microbes of veterinary importance including mycobacteria which cause Johnes Disease of cattle, sheep and other animals, and mycoplasmas of pigs and poultry.
  • Bacteria carried by animals which cause human disease, such as anthrax and leptospirosis.
  • Food safety organisms such as enteropathogenic E.coli, Campylobacter and Salmonella.
  • Major animal parasites such as liver fluke, sheep blowfly, sheep lice and worms.

Other key R&D areas include -

  • Probiotics and immune stimulating effects of functional foods.
  • Citrus and other fruit tree germplasm free of specific viruses.
  • Fruit fly control through sterile insect release.
  • Molecular biology of plants and plant pathogens
  • Interaction of dairy farming and the environment
  • Efficiency of pig production techniques.

section heading graphic   Corporate Alliances/Partnerships

EMAI scientists are supported by -

  • Primary industry R & D organisations such as Australian Pork Limited, Dairy Research and Development Corporation, Egg Industry R & D Corporation, Grain R & D Corporation, Chicken Meat R & D Corporation, Horticultural R & D Corporation, Meat & Livestock Australia, Dried Fruit R & D Corporation, Wool Innovations Australia and Cotton R & D Corporation
  • Private companies supplying the animal and plant industries including International Animal Health, Virbac and CSL
  • Auscitrus
  • Animal Health Australia
  • Beef CRC and Value Added Wheat CRC
  • Universities of Sydney, Western Sydney, NSW and Wollongong, and Macquarie and Australian National Universities.

Partnering Opportunities

  • Molecular identification of livestock pathogens
  • Livestock health product evaluation
  • Automated dairy operation
  • Identification of food borne pathogens
  • Use of re-cycled organics in agriculture.
  • Development of sub-unit livestock vaccines
  • Techniques to identify agricultural product attributes
  • Efficacy of functional foods.
Contact Person Ian Denney NSW Agruculutre Logo
Job Title Director, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute
Address Woodbridge Road
City/Suburb Menangle
NSW 2568 Australia
Email ian.denney@agric.nsw.gov.au
Phone +61 2 4640 6392
Fax +61 2 4640 6395
Website Address www.agric.nsw.gov.au

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