Qualifications
Dr Sc agr (Hohenheim)

Main Research Interests
Application of genetic principle to livestock breeding programs.
Advanced methods of estimation of breeding values for livestock, in particular beef and dairy cattle, pigs and sheep.
Design of livestock breeding programs.

Research Achievements
Major contributions to the development of BREEDPLAN (see BREEDPLAN ABRI) and PIGBLUP, two genetic evaluation systems for Australian livestock.

Selected Publications
Graser, H.-U. and K. Hammond (1985). Mixed Model Procedures for the Australian Beef Industry. I. A Multiple-Trait Model for the Estimation of Breeding Values for 200-day and Final weights of Cattle. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 36:527-35.

Graser, H.-U., E. Niebel and D. Fewson (1985). Model calculations for the optimal planning of bef performance tests using a German dual-purpose cattle population as an example. Livest. Prod. Sci. 13:229-250.

Graser, H.-U., S.P. Smith and B. Tier (1987). A derivative free approach for estimating variance components in animal models by restricted maximum likelihood. J. Anim. Sci. 64:1362-70.

Tier B. and H.-U. Graser (1991). Predicting breeding values using an implicit representation of the mixed model equations for a multiple trait animal model. J. Anim. Breed. Genet. 108:81-88.

Nitter, G., H.-U. Graser and S.A. Barwick (1994). Evaluation of advanced industry breeding schemes for Australian beef cattle. I. Method of evaluation and analysis for an example population structure. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 45:1641-56.

Graser, H.-U., G. Nitter and S.A. Barwick (1994). Evaluation of advanced industry breeding schemes for Australian beef cattle. II. Selection on combinations of growth, reproduction and carcase criteria. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 45:1657-69.

Tholen, E., K. Bunter, S. Hermesch and H.-U. Graser (1996). The genetic foundation of fitness and reproduction traits in Australian pig populations. I. Genetic parameters for weaning to conception interval, farrowing interval and stayability. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 47: 1261-74.

Tholen, E., K. Bunter, S. Hermesch and H.-U. Graser (1996). The genetic foundation of fitness and reproduction traits in Australian pig populations. II. Relationships between weaning to conception interval, farrowing interval, stayability and other common reproduction and production traits. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 47: 1275-90.

Bradfield M., H.-U. Graser and D.J. Johnston (1997). Investigation of genotype x production environment interaction for weaning weight in the Santa Gertrudis Breed in Australia. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 48: 1-5.

Kim J.B. and H.-U. Graser (1997). Estimation of Heritabilities and Repeatabilities for Reproductive Traits in Korean Native Cattle. (Hanwood). Anim. Genet. Breed. 1:59-71 (Korean).

Reverter A., D. J. Johnston, H.-U. Graser, M.L. Wolcott and W.H. Upton (2000). Genetic Analyses of Live-Animal Ultrasound and Abattoir Traits in Australian Angus and Hereford Cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 78:1786-1795.

Hermesch, S.; Luxford, B. G.; Graser, H.-U. (2002). Feeding level influences genetic parameters for performance traits in pigs. In Production environment interaction for weaning weight in the Santa Gertrudis Breed in Australia. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 48: 1-5. Proceedings Seventh World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod. Vol. 30. 143-146. Montpellier, France.

Intarathum, W.; Na-Chianmai, A.; Graser, H.-U. (2002). Population structure of Thai indigenous cattle for national breeding improvement strategy. In FAO and Proceedings Seventh World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod. Vol. 33. 381-384. Montpellier, France.

Johnston, D. J.; Herd, R. M.; Kadel, M. J.; Graser H.-U.; Arthur, P. F.; Archer J. A. (2002). Evidence of IGF-I as a genetic predictor of feed efficiency traits in beef cattle. In Proceedings Seventh World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod. Vol. 31. 257-260. Montpellier, France.

Kahi, A.K.; Barwick, S.A.; Graser, H.-U. (2003). Economic evaluation of Hereford cattle breeding schemes incorporating direct and indirect measures of feed intake. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 54 (10): 1039-1055.

Archer, J. A; Barwick, S. A. and Graser, H-U (2004). "Economic evaluation of beef cattle breeding schemes incorporating performance testing of young bulls for feed intake." Aust Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44(4-5):393-404.

Kahi, A. K. and Graser H.-U. (2004). "Indigenous Thai beef cattle breeding scheme incorporating indirect measures of adaptation: sensitivity to changes in heritabilities of and genetic correlations between adaptation traits." Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Science 17(8):1039-1046.

Meyer, K.; Johnston, D. J.; Graser, H.-U.; (2004). Estimates of the complete genetic covariance matrix for traits in multi-trait genetic evaluation of Australian Hereford cattle. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 55, 195-210.

Bunter, K.L.; Hermesch, S.; Luxford, B.G.; Graser, H.-U. and Crump, R.E. (2005). "Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) measured in juvenile pigs is genetically correlated with economically important performance traits." Aust J of Experimental Agriculture 45:783-792.

Graser, H.-U.; Tier, B.; Johnston, D.J. and Barwick, S.A. (2005). "Genetic evaluation for the beef industry in Australia." Aust J of Experimental Agriculture 45:913-921.

Moore, K.L.; Johnston, D.J.; Graser H.-U. and Herd, R (2005). "Genetic and phenotypic relationships between insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and net feed intake, fat, and growth traits in Angus beef cattle." Aust. J Agric Research 56(3): 211-218.

Phocas, F.; Donoghue, K.; and Graser H.-U. (2005). "Investigation of three strategies for an international genetic evaluation of beef cattle weaning weight." Genetics Selection Evolution 37:361-380.

Kadel, M.J.; Johnston, D.J.; Burrow, H.M.; Graser, H-U. and Ferguson, D.M. (2006). "Genetics of flight time and other measures of temperament and their value as selection criteria for improving meat quality traits in tropically adapted breeds of beef cattle." Aust. J Agric Research 57(9): 1029-1035.

Brown, D.J.; Ball, A.J.; Huisman, A.E.; Swan, A.A.; Atkins, R.D.; Graser, H.-U.; Banks, R.; Swan, P. and Woolaston, R.R. (2006). "Sheep Genetics Australia: A national genetic evaluation system for Australian sheep." Proceedings of the 8th World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod. Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 13-18 August. P. 05-03.

Hermesch, S.; Huisman, A.E.; Luxford; B.G. and Graser, H.-U. (2006). "Analysis of genotype by feeding level interaction in pigs applying reaction norm models." Proceedings of the 8th World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod. Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 13-18 August. P. 06-03.

Nakavisut, S.; Crump, R.E. and Graser, H.-U. (2006). "Body length and its genetic relationships with production and reproduction traits in pigs." Proceedings of the 8th World Congr. Genet. Appl. Livest. Prod. Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 13-18 August. P. 06-45.

Arasta, P; Chen, Y; Zhang, Y; Kerr, R; Graser, H-U; Luxford, B and Moran, C (2007).  “cyp21 as a candidate gene for androstenone on boar taint.”  Proceedings of the 17th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Armidale, Australia. September 24-26. pp.65-68.

Brown D J; Huisman, A E; Swan, A A; Graser, H-U; Woolaston, R R; Ball, A J; Atkins, K D and Banks, R G (2007).  “Genetic evaluation for the Australian sheep industry.”  Proceedings of the 17th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Armidale, Australia. September 24-26. pp.187-194.

Donoghue, K A; Johnston, D J and Graser, H-U (2007).  “Impact of addition of new herds on genetic parameter estimates in the Australian Brahman population.”  Proceedings of the 17th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Armidale, Australia. September 24-26. pp.352-355.

Jeyaruban, M G; Johnston, D J and Graser, H-U (2007).  “Development of a genetic evaluation system for structural soundness traits in Angus cattle.”  Proceedings of the 17th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Armidale, Australia. September 24-26. pp.391-394.

Johnston, D J; Brown, D J and Graser, H-U (2007).  “The effect of age slicing interval on the variance components and data effectiveness for birth and 200day weights in Angus cattle.”  Proceedings of the 17th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Armidale, Australia. September 24-26. pp.344-347.

Khusro, M; Brown, D J; Graser, H-U and Tier, B (2007).  “The effect of linkage and flock size on the accuracy of estimated genetic group effects.”  Proceedings of the 17th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Armidale, Australia. September 24-26. pp.545-548.

Piper, E; Chen, Y; Zhang, Y; Tier, B; Graser, H-U; Luxford, B G and Moran, C (2007).  “Single nucleotide polymorphisms in suppressor of cytokine signalling-2 gene and association with feed conversion ratio and growth in pigs.”  Proceedings of the 17th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Armidale, Australia. September 24-26. pp.53-56.

Worsnop, C D; Johnston, D J and Graser, H-U (2007).  “Accounting for selective slaughter over time when estimating breeding values for carcase traits – a simulation study.”  Proceedings of the 17th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics. Armidale, Australia. September 24-26. pp.364-367.