Dr Brendan Cullen

Dr Brendan Cullen is a Senior Lecturer in grazing systems in the Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences at The University of Melbourne. Over the last 15 years, Brendan has worked on a series of research projects with the dairy and red meat industries to understand the impacts of projected climate changes on livestock production businesses across Australia.

The research aims to identify industry pathways that are adapted to a variable and changing climate. Brendan has completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree and PhD on pasture plant ecophysiology from The University of Melbourne.

Find out more about Brendan Cullen's experience

Brendan Cullen's highlights

FEATURED Journal article

Changing patterns of pasture production in south-eastern Australia from 1960 to 2015

Brendan Cullen's selected work

Feeding Drought Tolerant Forage Plantain To Dairy Heifers With Diverse Growth Genetic Meri..

Internal Research Grant

Dairy’s (climate) changing future

NEWS ARTICLE

Using Leaf Temperature to Improve Simulation of Heat and Drought Stresses in a Biophysical..

Journal article

Dairy Businesses For Future Climates: Murray Dairy

Research Contracts

The effect of physiological state, milk production traits and environmental conditions on ..

Journal article

Exploring Profitability And Resilience Through Novel Livestock And Pasture Adaptation To F..

Research Grant

Projects

Displaying the 16 most recent projects by Brendan Cullen.

Feeding Drought Tolerant Forage Plantain To Dairy Heifers With Diverse Growth Genetic Merit

2018 - 2018

Completed

Dairy Businesses For Future Climates: Murray Dairy

2017 - 2019

Completed

Exploring Profitability And Resilience Through Novel Livestock And Pasture Adaptation To Future Climates

2017 - 2020

Active

Enhancing The Profitability And Productivity Of Livestock Farming Through Virtual Herding Technology

2017 - 2021

Active

More Profit From Nitrogen: Enhancing The Nutrient Use Efficiency Of Intensive Cropping And Pasture Systems (Project: Quantifying The Whole Farm Systems Impact Of Nitrogen Best Practice On Dairy Farms)

2016 - 2020

Active

Implications Of Future Changes Of Crop-Livestock Systems In Southern Australia And Brazil In The Context Of Climate Variability.

2014 - 2015

Completed

Dairy Intensification And Climate Change Adaptation Impacts On Profit, Risk And People

2013 - 2016

Completed

Whole Farm Systems Analysis Of Greenhouse Gas Abatement Options For The Southern Australian Grazing Industires

2012 - 2015

Completed

Whole Farm Systems Analysis Of Greenhouse Gas Abatement Options For The Southern Australian Grazing Industires

2012 - 2015

Completed

Modelling Of Selected Cfi Offset Options

2012 - 2012

Completed

Whole Farm Systems Analysis Of Climate Change Impacts On The Southern Grazing Industries

2009 - 2012

Completed

New Industries For Future Climates

2008 - 2009

Completed

Matching Grazing Decision Points Based On Soil Water And Skill Of Seasonal Forecast

Completed

16

Projects

Project Types

Research Grant

Research Contracts

Internal Research Grant

Scholarly Works

Displaying the 89 most recent scholarly works by Brendan Cullen.

Changing patterns of pasture production in south-eastern Australia from 1960 to 2015

Ruchika S Perera, Brendan R Cullen, Richard J Eckard

Journal article | 2020 | Crop and Pasture Science

The seasonal pattern of pasture production and its variability from year to year are important for pasture-based livestock product..

Using Leaf Temperature to Improve Simulation of Heat and Drought Stresses in a Biophysical Model

Ruchika S Perera, Brendan R Cullen, Richard J Eckard

Journal article | 2020 | Plants

Despite evidence that leaf temperatures can differ by several degrees from the air, crop simulation models are generally parameter..

The effect of physiological state, milk production traits and environmental conditions on milk fat globule size in cow's milk.

Leonie Walter, Sue Finch, Brendan Cullen, Richard Fry, Amy Logan, Brian J Leury

Journal article | 2019 | Journal of Dairy Research

This research was carried out to quantify the effects of a range of variables on milk fat globule (MFG) size for a herd of Holstei..

Genetic Selection for Thermotolerance in Ruminants

Richard Osei-Amponsah, Surinder S Chauhan, Brian J Leury, Long Cheng, Brendan Cullen, Iain J Clarke, Frank R Dunshea

Journal article | 2019 | Animals

Variations in climatic variables (temperature, humidity and solar radiation) negatively impact livestock growth, reproduction, and..

Growth and Physiological Responses of Temperate Pasture Species to Consecutive Heat and Drought Stresses

Ruchika S Perera, Brendan R Cullen, Richard J Eckard

Journal article | 2019 | Plants

Heat and drought are two major limiting factors for perennial pasture production in south eastern Australia. Although previous stu..

Emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse gases from livestock in China during 2000-2015: Magnitude, trends and spatiotemporal patterns

Minghao Zhuang, Xi Lu, Dario Caro, Jun Gao, Jian Zhang, Brendan Cullen, Qiwei Li

Journal article | 2019 | Journal of Environmental Management

The effect of pasture quantity temporal variation on milking robot utilization

AJ John, BR Cullen, K Oluboyede, MJ Freeman, KL Kerrisk, SC Garcia, CEF Clark

Journal article | 2019 | Journal of Dairy Science

Application of grazing land models in ecosystem management: Current status and next frontiers

L Ma, JD Derner, RD Harmel, J Tatarko, AD Moore, CA Rotz, DJ Augustine, RB Boone, MB Coughenour, PC Beukes, MT van Wijk, G Bellocchi, BR Cullen, H Wilmer

Book Chapter | 2019 | Advances in Agronomy

Potential impacts of climate change on soil organic carbon and productivity in pastures of south eastern Australia

Rachelle S Meyer, Brendan R Cullen, Penny H Whetton, Fiona A Robertson, Richard J Eckard

Journal article | 2018 | Agricultural Systems

Trends in wheat yields under representative climate futures: Implications for climate adaptation

Chris Taylor, Brendan Cullen, Michael D'Occhio, Lauren Rickards, Richard Eckard

Journal article | 2018 | Agricultural Systems

Influence of climate variability and stocking strategies on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), production and profit of a northern Queensland beef cattle herd

Brendan R Cullen, Neil D Macleod, Joe C Scanlan, Natalie Doran-Browne

Conference Proceedings | 2018 | Animal Production Science

Management options for dairy farms under climate change: Effects of intensification, adaptation and simplification on pastures, milk production and profitability

Matthew T Harrison, Brendan R Cullen, Dan Armstrong

Journal article | 2017 | Agricultural Systems

Pasture and the theory of diversification

CD Lewis, CKM Ho, BR Cullen, B Malcolm

Journal article | 2017 | Animal Production Science

Changes in nutritive characteristics associated with plant height, and nutrient selection by dairy cows grazing four perennial pasture grasses

BR Cullen, D Bullen, C Hutcheson, JL Jacobs, MH Deighton

Journal article | 2017 | Animal Production Science

Modelling the sensitivity of agricultural systems to climate change and extreme climatic events

Matthew T Harrison, Brendan R Cullen, Richard P Rawnsley

Journal article | 2016 | Agricultural Systems

Modelling the resilience of forage crop production to future climate change in the dairy regions of Southeastern Australia using APSIM

KG Pembleton, BR Cullen, RP Rawnsley, MT Harrison, T Ramilan

Journal article | 2016 | The Journal of Agricultural Science

A model of milk production in lactating dairy cows in relation to energy and nitrogen dynamics

IR Johnson, J France, BR Cullen

Journal article | 2016 | Journal of Dairy Science

Modelling the influence of soil carbon on net greenhouse gas emissions from grazed pastures

Rachelle Meyer, Brendan R Cullen, Richard J Eckard

Journal article | 2016 | Animal Production Science

The effect of earlier mating and improving fertility on greenhouse gas emissions intensity of beef production in northern Australian herds

BR Cullen, RJ Eckard, M Timms, DG Phelps

Journal article | 2016 | The Rangeland Journal

The concordance between greenhouse gas emissions, livestock production and profitability of extensive beef farming systems

Matthew T Harrison, Brendan R Cullen, Nigel W Tomkins, Chris McSweeney, Philip Cohn, Richard J Eckard

Journal article | 2016 | Animal Production Science

Process modelling to assess the sequestration and productivity benefits of soil carbon for pasture

Rachelle Meyer, Brendan R Cullen, Ian R Johnson, Richard J Eckard

Journal article | 2015 | Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

Higher energy concentration traits in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) may increase profitability and improve energy conversion on dairy farms

CI Ludemann, RJ Eckard, BR Cullen, JL Jacobs, B Malcolm, KF Smith

Journal article | 2015 | Agricultural Systems

Effect of climate variability on pasture-based dairy feeding systems in south-east Australia

Seyda Ozkan, Julian Hill, Brendan Cullen

Journal article | 2015 | Animal Production Science

Increasing ewe genetic fecundity improves whole-farm production and reduces greenhouse gas emissions intensities 1. Sheep production and emissions intensities

Matthew T Harrison, Tom Jackson, Brendan R Cullen, Richard P Rawnsley, Christie Ho, Leo Cummins, Richard J Eckard

Journal article | 2014 | Agricultural Systems

Use of a biophysical simulation model (DairyMod) to represent tall fescue pasture growth in Argentina

H Berger, CF Machado, M Agnusdei, BR Cullen

Journal article | 2014 | Grass and Forage Science

Using spring-summer cumulative water deficit to estimate perennial ryegrass pasture persistence

B CULLEN, MT Harrison, RP Rawnsley

Conference Proceedings | 2014

Persistence of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) in grazed pastures is strongly influenced by climate, in particular summer w..

Increasing home-grown forage consumption and profit in non-irrigated dairy systems. 3. Intake, milk production and composition, bodyweight and body condition score

J Hill, DF Chapman, J Tharmaraj, JL Jacobs, BR Cullen

Journal article | 2014 | Animal Production Science

Increasing home-grown forage consumption and profit in non-irrigated dairy systems. 2. Forage harvested

J Tharmaraj, DF Chapman, J Hill, JL Jacobs, BR Cullen

Journal article | 2014 | Animal Production Science

Economic impacts of climate change on the Australian dairy sector

Kevin Hanslow, Don Gunasekera, Brendan Cullen, David Newth

Journal article | 2014 | Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics

Increasing home-grown forage consumption and profit in non-irrigated dairy systems. 4. Economic performance

DF Chapman, D Beca, J Hill, J Tharmaraj, JL Jacobs, BR Cullen

Journal article | 2014 | Animal Production Science

Use of modelling to identify perennial ryegrass plant traits for future warmer and drier climates

BR Cullen, RP Rawnsley, RJ Eckard, KM Christie, MJ Bell

Journal article | 2014 | Crop and Pasture Science

Effect of warming on the productivity of perennial ryegrass and kikuyu pastures in south-eastern Australia

Matthew J Bell, Richard J Eckard, Matthew T Harrison, James S Neal, Brendan R Cullen

Journal article | 2013 | Crop and Pasture Science

Evaluating the accuracy of the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) simulating growth, development, and herbage nutritive characteristics of forage crops grown in the south-eastern dairy regions of Australia

KG Pembleton, RP Rawnsley, JL Jacobs, FJ Mickan, GN O'Brien, BR Cullen, T Ramilan

Journal article | 2013 | Crop and Pasture Science

Assessing resilience of pasture production to climatic changes

BR Cullen, P Rawnsley, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2013 | Proceedings of the 22nd International Grassland Congress

Grasslands

undefined Lane, BR Cullen, MJ Bell, undefined Christie, undefined Rawnsley, RJ Eckard

Book Chapter | 2013

Modelling adaptation and mitigation strategies for southern livestock industries of Australia

RJ Eckard, undefined Rawnsley, BR Cullen, MJ Bell, undefined Christie

Conference Proceedings | 2013 | Proceedings 22nd International Grasslands Congress

Economic values of changes in energy concentration of pasture in contrasting temperate dairy regions in Australia

C LUDEMANN, BR Cullen, Bill Malcolm, KF Smith

Journal article | 2013 | AFBM Journal

Punting Lamb

Bill Malcolm, B Cullen, C Ludemann, K Smith

Journal article | 2013 | Australian Farm Business Management Journal

The estimated metabolisable energy (ME) concentration of pasture has a significant influence on the profit of farm systems that re..

Does increasing ewe fecundity reduce whole-farm greenhouse gas emissions intensities?

MT Harrison, BR Cullen, RP Rawnsley, RJ Eckard, L Cummins

Conference Proceedings | 2013 | 20th International Congress on Modelling and Simulation (MODSIM2013)

The Influence of Climate, Soil and Pasture Type on Productivity and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity of Modeled Beef Cow-Calf Grazing Systems in Southern Australia.

Matthew J Bell, Brendan R Cullen, Richard J Eckard

Journal article | 2012 | Animals

A biophysical whole farm system model was used to simulate the interaction between the historical climate, soil and pasture type a..

The effect of future climate scenarios on the balance between productivity and greenhouse gas emissions from sheep grazing systems

MJ Bell, RJ Eckard, BR Cullen

Journal article | 2012 | Livestock Science

Forage-based dairying in a water-limited future: Use of models to investigate farming system adaptation in southern Australia

DF Chapman, K Dassanayake, JO Hill, BR Cullen, N Lane

Journal article | 2012 | Journal of Dairy Science

Predicted frequency of wet and dry soil conditions in Tasmanian dairy regions under future climate scenarios

undefined Christie, undefined Rawnsley, BR Cullen, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2012 | Proceedings of the 16th Australian Agronomy Conference

Using soil water content to predict pasture growth rates

BR Cullen, IR Johnson

Conference Proceedings | 2012 | Proceedings of the 16th Agronomy Confernece 2012

Increasing home grown forage consumption and profit in non-irrigated dairy systems

BR Cullen, DF Chapman, J Tharmaraj, J Hill, L Jacobs, D Beca

Conference Proceedings | 2012 | Proceedings of the 5th Australasian Dairy Science Symposium

Timing of autumn breaks and length of springs in Tasmanian dairy regions under future climate scenarios

undefined Christie, undefined Rawnsley, BR Cullen, MJ Bell, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2012 | Proceedings of 16th Australian Agronomy Conference 2012

Resistance of pasture production to projected climate changes in south-eastern Australia

BR Cullen, RJ Eckard, RP Rawnsley

Journal article | 2012 | Crop and Pasture Science

Grain finishing to reduce emissions from lamb production systems in northern Victoria

BR Cullen, KB Dassanayake, T Ramilan

Conference Proceedings | 2012 | The CCRSPI Conference Handbook

Impacts of future climate scenarios on nitrous oxide emissions from pasture based dairy systems in south eastern Australia

RJ Eckard, BR Cullen

Journal article | 2011 | Animal Feed Science and Technology

Impacts of future climate scenarios on the balance between productivity and total greenhouse gas emissions from pasture based dairy systems in south-eastern Australia

BR Cullen, RJ Eckard

Journal article | 2011 | Animal Feed Science and Technology

Effect of deficit rainfall and rooting depth of perennial ryegrass on pasture production in South East Australia

R Rawnsley, BR Cullen, K Christie, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2011 | The CCRSPI Conference

Southern livestock adaptation 3: resilient surfaces for pasture production under climate change scenarios.

BR Cullen, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2011 | Climate Change Research Strategy for Primary Industries

Is the variability of seasonal pasture growth patterns changing?

MJB Bell, BRC Cullen, KM Christie, R Rawnsley, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2011 | Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Conference of the Grassland Society of Southern Australia

An historical analysis of the changes in pasture production, growing season and the number of wet and dry days in three dairy regions of South East Australia.

R Rawnsley, BR Cullen, K Christie, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2011 | The CCRSPI Conference

Trends in annual pasture production and its variability

BR Cullen, MJ Bell, KM Christie, RP Rawnsley, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2011 | Proceedings of the 52nd Annual Conference of the Grassland Society of Southern Australia

An environmental economic assessment of water sharing alternatives for the Broken catchment in the Northern Victoria

T Ramilan, R Farquharson, B George, DM Sammonds, G Vietz, J Yen, W Shenton, K Dassanyake, B Cullen, M Stewardson, A Western

Conference Proceedings | 2011 | 19th International Congress on Modelling and Simulation

The production of perennial ryegrass and kikuyu pastures in south-eastern Australia under warmer and drier future climate scenarios

MJ Bell, BR Cullen, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2011 | 19th International Congress on Modelling and Simulation

Effect on nitrogen losses from a sheep grazing system by the randomised distribution of excreta

MJ Bell, BR Cullen, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2011 | MODSIM2011, 19th International Congress on Modelling and Simulation. Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand

Adapting to increases in mean daily temperature by increasing the heat tolerance of perennial ryegrass.

R Rawnsley, K Christie, BR Cullen, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2011 | The CCRSPI Conference

Repositioning the forage base for dairy production in a volatile and risky climate

BRC Cullen, RP Rawnsley, VO Snow

Conference Proceedings | 2010 | Proceedings of the 4th Australasian Dairy Science Symposium

Adapting pasture-based dairy systems to future climates

BR Cullen, R Rawnsley, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2010 | Proceedings 2010 International Climate Change Adaptation Conference

Modelled effects of rising CO2 concentration and climate change on native perennial grass and sown grass-legume pastures

MP Perring, BR Cullen, IR Johnson, MJ Hovenden

Journal article | 2010 | Climate Research

Incorporating changes in daily rainfall characteristics into future climate scenarios

BR Cullen, RJ Eckard, W Mason, RP Rawnsley

Conference Proceedings | 2009 | Proceedings of the 18th World IMACS / MODSIM congress

Effects of climate scenarios on simulated intake of sheep grazing native pastures in northern New South Wales, Australia

GM Lodge, IR Johnson, BR Cullen

Journal article | 2009 | Animal Production Science

Climate change effects on pasture systems in south-eastern Australia

BR Cullen, IR Johnson, RJ Eckard, GM Lodge, RG Walker, RP Rawnsley, MR McCaskill

Journal article | 2009 | Crop and Pasture Science

Potential of deficit irrigation to increase marginal irrigation response of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) on Tasmanian dairy farms

RP Rawnsley, BR Cullen, LR Turner, DJ Donaghy, M Freeman, KM Christie

Journal article | 2009 | Crop and Pasture Science

Modelling climate change impacts and adaptation options in south-western Victorian pasture systems

BR Cullen, RJ Eckard, IR Johnson

Conference Proceedings | 2009 | Proceedings of Greenhouse 2009 Conference Climate Change & Resources

Interannual variation in pasture growth rate in Australian and New Zealand dairy regions and its consequences for system management

DF Chapman, BR Cullen, IR Johnson, D Beca

Journal article | 2009 | Animal Production Science

Potential impacts of climate change on pasture production in south eastern Australia

BR Cullen, RJ Eckard

Conference Proceedings | 2009 | Proceedings of the 50th Annual Conference of the Grassland Society of Southern Australia

Integrating production and natural resource management on mixed farms in eastern Australia: The cost of conservation in agricultural landscapes

APN House, ND MacLeod, B Cullen, AM Whitbread, SD Brown, JG McIvor

Journal article | 2008 | Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

A simple scenario and modelling approach to farm design was used to investigate the potential for improving on-farm conservation o..

Integrating production and natural resource management on mixed farms in eastern Australia: The cost of conservation in agricultural landscapes

APN House, ND MacLeod, B Cullen, AM Whitbread, SD Brown, JG Mclvor

Journal article | 2008 | Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment

Modelling deficit irrigation strategies for dairy regions of Australia.

RP Rawnsley, B CULLEN, LR Turner, K Christie

Conference Proceedings | 2008 | Multifunctional Grasslands in a Changing World

DairyMod and EcoMod: biophysical pasture-simulation models for Australia and new Zealand

IR Johnson, DF Chapman, VO Snow, RJ Eckard, AJ Parsons, MG Lambert, BR Cullen

Journal article | 2008 | Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture

Pasture growth forecasts for temperate regions in southeastern Australia

B CULLEN, R ECKARD, I Johnson

Conference Proceedings | 2008 | Multifunctional Grasslands in a Changing World

Simulating pasture growth rates in Australian and New Zealand grazing systems

BR Cullen, RJ Eckard, MN Callow, IR Johnson, DF Chapman, RP Rawnsley, SC Garcia, T White, VO Snow

Journal article | 2008 | Australian Journal of Agricultural Research

Risk and uncertainty in dairy production systems: Research concepts, tools and prospects

D CHAPMAN, B MALCOLM, M Neal, B CULLEN

Conference Proceedings | 2007 | Meeting the Challenges for Pasture-Based Dairying

Modelling highlights pasture growth variability

B CULLEN, R ECKARD, I Johnson

Conference Proceedings | 2007 | Proceedings of the 48th Annual Conference of the Grasslands Society of Southern Australia

Strategies for increasing resilience of grazing-based dairy systems

B CULLEN, R ECKARD, IR Johnson, JR Bryant, RP Rawnsley

Conference Proceedings | 2007 | Meeting the Challenges for Pasture-Based Dairying