Former Sheep CRC CEO James Rowe at the ASKBILL launch..

LEADING Australian researchers have lauded the contributions and ongoing legacy of Emeritus professor James Rowe’s contribution to the national wool and sheep meat industry.

University of New England professor – meat science Dr Peter McGilchrist said Prof. Rowe passed away on 15 January after a solid battle with cancer.

A service of thanksgiving was attended by friends and family at St Thomas’ Anglican Church, North Sydney at 10am on Friday 23 January.

Dr McGilchrist told Sheep Central said James was head of Animal Science at UNE in the nineties, and he led the very successful sheep CRC from 2002 until 2019.

“He received several honours awards, including OAM and an honorary UNE alumni award in 2025 and was been a very important force for Animal Science and UNE.

“An absolute leading force…”

Unique mentoring and leadership development skills

Professor Emeritus Biochemistry & Nutrition at Murdoch University David Pethick said James Rowe studied Rural Science and undertook subsequent doctorial studies at the University of New England. Following this he worked in the Dominican Republic and then progressed to a stint with ICI (now Astra Zeneca) before returning to Australia to the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and finally back to UNE as Professor and Head of Animal Sciences.

“James, the scientist, worked primarily on grain feeding systems for sheep, cattle, horses (and even dogs) with the aim of making it easier for livestock producers to feed their animals supplemental cereal grain in an extensive manner during times of feed shortages.

“A clear focus of his work has always been to make science connect to the end user,” Dr Pethick said.

“In 2001, he was instrumental in creating and running the Sheep Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) again with the interests focused on highly quality science to benefit end users, but this time right across the supply chain from wool and lamb producers through to abattoirs and the retail pipeline.

“The goals were ambitious and the skill of keeping many companies, producer/industry peak bodies and researchers cohesive and directed to the industry outcome are a tribute to his selfless management style,” Dr Pethick said.

“James was unique in his ability for mentoring and developing leaders around him.

“During his time as Sheep CRC CEO he mentored the brazen thirst for science of its program leaders into a powerful team delivering real economic outcomes for the sheep industry,” he said.

“He also had a passion for the next generation of Agricultural professionals and was tireless in his efforts to assure rounded mentoring for undergraduate and post graduate students associated with the CRC program.

“In some ways James sacrificed a traditional scientific career to instead focus on managing scientists and industry in a common cause to make ‘big ideas’ turn into reality – the Australian sheep industry has clearly progressed under his leadership as have many thousands of individuals across the sheep industry value chain.”

Dr Pethick said the numerous outcomes for the sheep Industry led and nurtured by James at the WA Department of Agriculture, as Professor at UNE and finally as Sheep CRC CEO include making paddock-based grain feeding easier, improving the reproductive performance of ewes,  development of instrumentation to underpin consumer comfort for modern next-to-skin wool garments, initiating the Sheep CRC Information Nucleus leading to the development of world leading genomics to underpin genetic improvement of wool and meat sheep. Professor Rowe also via Meat Standards Australia, helped develop world leading systems and technologies to improve the eating quality of lamb and yearling sheep meat, technologies to access carcase composition in abattoirs that modernised lamb and sheep meat carcase grading and feedback systems to producers, and also developed well-being metrics and applications to underpin improved productivity and welfare of sheep

“These examples transgress the value chain from sheep producer right through to the consumer of the final wool and meat products so leaving a huge legacy for the whole industry,” Dr Pethick said.

He said an important additional legacy is the human capacity building underpinned by Jame’s leadership within the Sheep CRC. Examples include the Lamb Supply Chain Group composed of scientific and Industry members to unpin continued collaborative National RD&E activities into the future and the graduation of 70 PhD/MSc students impressively with more than 85 percent staying within the agriculture sector.

“The Australian sheep industry is now the world leader in wool, lamb and sheep meat production.”

Sheep CRC transformed the industry

Rural Analytics principal and UNE adjunct professor Dr Alex Ball said Professor James Rowe played a pivotal role in the development, implementation, and impact of the Sheep CRC.

“The Sheep CRC, funded for three terms from 2001 to 2019, significantly transformed the Australian sheep industry.

“During this period, the industry saw a dramatic turnaround, with the real gross value of production increasing 2.6-fold on a per sheep basis, despite a 40pc decrease in the national flock size,” DR Ball said.

“This transformation was valued at over $8.6 billion per year by 2019.

“Professor Rowe’s leadership and systems-based thinking, honed during his time as a UNE undergraduate and post-graduate, allowed him to understand and contribute to all aspects of the sheep value chain,” he said.

Dr Ball said this was particularly impressive given the breadth of the major programs within the CRC, which included information and resource flock initiation and coordination, delivery of genomic information, and development of eating quality information, wool comfort metrics and well-being metrics.

He said the Sheep CRC, based at UNE, had up to 20-plys research and commercial partners at various stages. It was also a key funder of higher graduate scholarships, with over 40 students completing post-graduate degrees at UNE using Sheep CRC resources.

“Professor Rowe championed the development of the annual post-graduate conference, which enabled early career scientists to present their research and receive peer review.

“This conference grew to establish collaborations with MLA, the Australian Meat Processor Corporation, Australian Pork Ltd and Australian Wool Innovation.”

Dr Ball said under Professor Rowe’s leadership, the Sheep CRC led many new initiatives for the industry.

“He was particularly passionate about delivering transformational new technologies and improving individual animal management.

“During his tenure, the Australian sheep industry became a global leader in the use of genomic technologies to enhance productivity,” he said.

“The CRC information nucleus flock enabled the industry to embrace single-step genomic evaluation and access flock profiles, which allowed commercial producers to predict genetic performance.

“Professor Rowe was also instrumental in the establishment of ASKBILL, a predictive app that used BOM data and sophisticated models of pasture and animal growth to predict cold and fly risk, growth, and carcass performance,” Dr Ball said.

“This project, established with AMPC, ultimately led to the development of Ag360, which today has over 800 users nationally.”

Dr Ball said the Sheep CRC investment and Professor Rowe’s leadership in consumer eating quality research underpinned the development of the Meat Standards Australia program for sheep meat.

“This program established novel traits such as shear force and intramuscular fat and led to the introduction of genetic breeding indices that included eating quality, ensuring high-quality eating experiences from the Australian sheep industry.”

Dr Ball said the Sheep CRC was noted for its scientific excellence, achieving more than 150 high-quality peer-reviewed journal articles, with the majority attributed to UNE; major journal special editions in Meat Science and Animal Production and government recognition through several national awards.

“One of Professor Rowe’s final actions as CEO was to co-edit the book ‘Concept to Impact: The story of the Sheep CRC 2001–2019’ that captured the scale of industry collaboration and resulting transformation.

“This book was highly regarded by the CRC network and is often cited as a pinnacle of success for CRC investment.”

A powerful industry legacy

Former Meat & Livestock Australia manager – co-innovation and objective measurement Richard Apps said James will be well remembered by many in the sheep industry for his energy and passion leading the Sheep Industry CRC.

“His leadership developed and progressed RD&A across production, welfare, eating quality and, in particular, genomics.

“The development of genomic tests and delivery pipelines feeding into new and improved Australian Sheep Breeding Values that are delivered to industry by MLA through Sheep Genetics,” he said.

“James’ contribution is a powerful legacy that the sheep industry will continue to benefit from.”

Professor Rowe’s obituary remembered him as the dearly loved husband of Sally. Wonderful and loving father and father-in-law of Christopher and Rebecca, Timothy and Sarah, Louisa and Isaac. Proud and encouraging Grandpa of Evelyn, Bethany and Joshua; William, Daniel and Alison; Elsie and Benjamin.

“Great friend and valued mentor to many.”