Can production on farm match scientific outcomes?

摘要

Some time ago I was working with a group of scientists to examine where new scientific developments for the lamb industry would achieve their greatest impact. While focussing on nutrition the question was posed "what would limit growing a lamb at anaverage of more than 400 g/day for their entire lifetime?" This was greeted with the response from one scientist "That's easy, how about giving us a hard question!" Discussion then pursued 500 g/day but admittedly not very seriously. The view expressedwas that this rate of growth was not so difficult if a good manager combining the very best genetics with the best nutrition with good control of disease and parasites. This aim is in stark contrast to the growth rates that are often achieved on farms. Most people would be pleased for their lambs to achieve rates of 200 g/day for life and there are many examples of lambs growing at less than 100 g/day. In fact there have been plenty of research projects that have resulted in similarly poor growth rateseven when all the inputs had been put together to maximise growth.