Nutritional principles, integration, modelling and research management to practical applications: an overview of John Langtree Black's contribution to animal science

This is the introductory paper for a Festschrift to honour the contribution that John Langtree Black has made so far to animal science over his 50-year career. The paper outlines the extraordinary wide range of topics, disciplines and animal species covered by his research and intellectual thinking. It describes major contributions made to enhancing knowledge in areas of animal science and to the application of knowledge to rural industries through simulation models, risk-control management systems, methods for measuring ingredient and product quality and communication. An important contribution has been through the management, coordination and integration of findings in large interdisciplinary research programs, particularly with an emphasis on adherence to the scientific method and the role of statistics. The discipline of scientific integrity has been extended to his considerable involvement in community service.