Spotlight on Dr Amy: Advancing Ruminant Production and Agricultural Development
A Career in Ruminant Production
Dr Amy Bates embarked on her post-doctoral fellowship in ruminant production systems with the Precision Livestock Management (PLM) team at Central Queensland University in 2024. Her work is dedicated to supporting smallholder farmers by developing cost-effective business planning approaches, trialling productivity-enhancing interventions, and fostering sustainable project linkages beyond the immediate scope of her research.
“Our team has been using the well-established FAO farmer field school framework to engage with villages, deliver training, and develop local research projects,” Amy explains. “Villagers select their own training topics—anything from cattle castration and animal health to budgeting and stockyard design. They also collaborate on research projects that address their specific farming challenges, such as evaluating different weed control methods.”
Amy’s primary focus is on evaluating the impact of these field schools. “I look at what’s working, what isn’t, and how farmers are using—or not using—the knowledge they’ve gained,” she says. “This area is new to me, and I’m really enjoying the deep dive into social science and evaluation!”
Her journey to CQU followed an impressive academic and industry career. Amy completed her PhD at Charles Sturt University in 2024, where she examined the effects of breed and mating season on ewe management and the profitability of sheep enterprises in southern Australia. With a background spanning aquaculture, poultry, animal pharmaceuticals, and the red meat industry, her passion for ruminant nutrition and management continues to drive her work in both Australia and developing countries.
A Passion Rooted in Agriculture
Growing up around mixed farming systems, Amy always knew she wanted to pursue a career in agriculture. “Initially, I planned to transfer to veterinary science, but I quickly realized that animal science was the perfect fit for me,” she recalls.
After completing her undergraduate degree and Honours in abalone nutrition at Adelaide University, Amy managed a poultry farm in Tasmania before moving to Sydney, where she worked across various sectors of the red meat and animal pharmaceutical industries. A brief stint managing a restaurant added an unexpected twist to her career before she returned to research, pursuing a PhD in sheep nutrition.
“One of the most eye-opening experiences during my PhD was receiving a Crawford Fund scholarship, which allowed me to conduct research on small ruminants in Fiji,” Amy says. “That experience ignited my passion for international agricultural research
