The fourth in the Breeding Focus series was held in Armidale in May 2021 and provided an opportunity for exchange between industry and research across a number of agricultural sectors to identify and explore genetic and management strategies to improve reproduction.

Topics presented at the workshop have been published as a book "Breeding Focus 2021 – Improving Reproduction” which is available for purchase. Abstracts of the papers can be downloaded as can individual chapters.

Chapter 1 Review: Cattle fertility and genetic improvement of fertility in developing countries Eva M. Strucken

Chapter 2 Reproductive challenges in abalone breeding Natasha A. Botwright, Omar Mendoza-Porras, Roger Chong, Ya Zhang and Carmel McDougall

Chapter 3 Opportunities from understanding health and welfare of sows Laura Vargovic, Jo Harper and Kim Bunter

Chapter 4 Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) embryo survival: risk factors Sally R. Isberg and Peter C. Thomson

Chapter 5 New phenotypes for genetic improvement of fertility in dairy cows Irene van den Berg, Melissa Stephen, Phuong N. Ho, Mekonnen Haile-Mariam, Claire Phyn, Susanne Meier, Chris Burke, Nicole Steele and Jennie E. Pryce

Chapter 6 The influence of bull fertility on beef herd productivity Laercio R Porto-Neto, John Bertram, Marina R S Fortes, Pamela Alexandre, Michael McGowan, Ben Hayes and Antonio Reverter

Chapter 7 Improving reproductive performance in pigs Jo-Anne Harper, Kim Bunter and Laura Vargovic

Chapter 8 Breeding for improved fertility of honey bees E.A. Frost, N.C. Chapman, R.G. Banks and S. Hermesch

Chapter 9 Examining the relative importance of female reproduction in beef breeding herds when fully accounting for production costs Bradley J Walmsley

Chapter 10 Improving reproduction in ewes Kim Bunter, Andrew Swan and Daniel Brown

Chapter 11 Selection for reproductive efficiency in turkeys and broiler chickens: egg production, hatchability and fertility Bayode O. Makanjuola, Emhimad A. Abdalla, Christine F. Baes and Benjamin J. Wood

Chapter 12 Genetic improvement of cow reproduction in northern Australia beef cattle breeds Kirsty L. Moore, Matt L. Wolcott and David J. Johnston

Chapter 13 Climatic constraints facing sheep reproduction Gordon Refshauge and Simon de Graaf

Chapter 14 Lamb survival, a challenge for the decades Sabine Schmoelzl, Lynden Smith, Amellia Redfearn and Rachelle Hergenhan