Prof Pryce is a research director at Agriculture Victoria Research and a professor at La Trobe University.
She will explore the next generation of genetic tools available to support the dairy industry’s goals of productivity, efficiency and environmental stewardship.
Her presentation will discuss how genetic selection could be used to reduce future methane emissions, improve fertility, enhance animal health and strengthen farm profitability.
Named Australia’s top researcher in animal husbandry by The Australian from 2019 to 2022, Prof Pryce’s background gives her a profound understanding of what matters to livestock producers and the ability to translate genetic research into practical applications.
Originally from a UK dairy farming family, Prof Pryce’s early life shaped her perspective and connection to agriculture.
“I grew up on a dairy farm and told my grandmother when I was 11 that I wanted to be a geneticist,” Prof Pryce said.
Her academic journey began at the University of Edinburgh, where she completed a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours and PhD.
In 2001 she moved to New Zealand to work with the Livestock Improvement Corporation before relocating to Australia in 2008. There she joined Agriculture Victoria, then known as the Department of Primary Industries.
“Every time a farmer breeds a cow and chooses the right bull, they make a small but lasting improvement that compounds over generations,” she said.
Prof Pryce is involved in international collaborations, including the MicroHub initiative that is working to analyse the microbiomes of cattle to better understand methane production and rumen health.
“We are part of a global project that will examine more than 20,000 microbiomes from cattle across multiple countries,” she said.
“It is the largest study of its kind and will give us new insights into breading for a more efficient dairy cow and environmental impact.”
Professor Pryce is also excited by the potential of wearable sensors and artificial intelligence to further enhance herd management, animal welfare and dairy operations.
She believes that as technology advances, farmers will have access to more accurate, data-driven tools.
“I think in 10 years it will be normal for every calf to be genotyped,” she said.
“That will give farmers better information and greater confidence in every breeding decision.
“But you still need skilled people working with that data, otherwise it is like having a Ferrari driven by a kid.”
