Professor Morris led the way in the application of quantitative methods in poultry production and nutrition. Mainly using statistical techniques, but always with a clear view of the underlying mechanisms, he showed the benefits of combining the results of different experiments into a set of simple and applicable quantitative rules. These early ideas undoubtedly trained and motivated many students some of whom later became modellers, but all of whom benefited from his knowledge and clear thinking.

I greatly appreciated his friendship in the early years of my career when South African scientists were made to feel unwelcome around the world. He and his family shared happy times with us both in Reading and in Pietermaritzburg; his first wife, Jean, loaded us with children’s books that she said had to be part of a child’s upbringing; and we shared many musical evenings listening to Trevor playing his bassoon and Jean the harpsichord. When Trevor finally retired from the University of Reading in 2005, Colin Fisher and I marked his contribution to the field of animal modelling and systems by organizing a modelling conference in the Ithala game reserve in KZN, this being the last time that he visited South Africa.

Trevor’s two main areas of research involved the lighting of laying pullets and hens, and the quantitative nutrition of laying hens (the so-called Reading Model, developed in collaboration with Dr Colin Fisher) and broilers. He continued to publish in these areas right up until the end of last year, in collaboration with Dr Peter Lewis and myself. He was always eager to assist, enthusiastic when viewing the results of trials, critical of sloppy writing and full of praise for good work. He was certainly one of the most important poultry scientists of our time and his expertise and friendship will be sorely missed.

Rob Gous, Chairman,
World’s Poultry Science Association