来源:Pig Progress
High prices? Foreign animal diseases? There are plenty of reasons to e.g. quickly change pig diets. Sometimes, however, it is not a bad idea to look at things from various angles before making the decision to do something. Nutrition technology expert Dr Casey Bradley explains why.
价格高涨?外国动物疾病?有很多理由需要猪场快速改变生猪日粮。然而,有时候,在决定做某事之前从各个角度看待事物并不是一个坏主意。营养技术专家Casey Bradley博士解释了原因。
Over the last year I have seen a lot of ‘panic’ in the swine industry and in my life and career. When making decisions, people can have several different approaches: a knee-jerk reaction in which they react based on the current situation without much thought to consequences of the decision; and the polar-opposite in which a person researches, gathers insight, and thoroughly examines the risks associated with a decision. Depending on the decision either type, somewhere in between can work out just well or not.
过去一年中,我在养猪业、自己的生活以及事业中看到了许多“恐慌”。在做决定时,人们往往有几种不同的做法:一种是下意识的反应,在这种反应中,他们根据当前的情况做出反应,而不过多考虑决策的后果;另一种截然相反的做法是,详尽调研,收集证据,并彻底分析做这个决定可能带来的风险。根据决定的类型,介于上述两者之间的某种方式可以很好地解决问题。
Taking a moment to reconsider the consequences of a decision is never a bad idea. Photo: 123RF
花一点时间重新考虑后果绝对是个好主意
Facing a heavy downpour
遇到一场倾盆大雨
For example, on a whim I did not pack my umbrella on a trip and faced a heavy downpour walking to my car from the airport. Maybe if I had researched the weather before leaving that week, I may have not have overlooked a perceived minor thing at that moment. On the other hand, I have been planning research facilities for my new position and future projects.
比如说,我曾经一时兴起去旅行,收拾行李时没有带上雨伞,结果从车里走去机场时,正好下了一场倾盆大雨。如果出发前看了天气预报,也许就不会忽略了这件可以察觉到的小事。而另一方面,我一直在为自己的新职位和未来的项目研究设备。
I have spent countless hours researching, gathering insights, and working to understand the needs and wants of my team and customers. I hope in the end that I have managed risks to create a very successful research program for the Northern America swine industry.
我花了无数个小时做研究,收集见解,并努力了解团队和客户的需求。希望最终能够为北美养猪业创造一个非常成功的研究计划。
Both extremes in decision making for swine nutrition
猪营养决策的两个极端
When it comes to swine nutrition, I have seen both extremes in decision making. If market conditions for a specific ingredient get a little chaotic and due to tight supplies becomes expensive, many nutritionists do not seem to have a problem removing an ingredient from diets for a short period, without considering any scientific reasoning or concern of the associated risks.
说到生猪营养,我看到过猪场在做决策时的两种极端。如果某种成分的市场条件变得有点混乱并且由于供应紧张而变得昂贵,许多营养学家似乎可以轻易地把这种成分从日粮中移除掉,而不去考虑任何科学推理或者可能带来的风险。
However, when implementing a new feed additive into a nutritional programme, many nutritionists want to see a minimum of 3 positive trials, a minimum of a 3:1 ROI, and then run another 2-3 themselves before implementing. Why? Because if the feed additive doesn’t bring value to their system and costs their company or customer a lot of money, their reputation and potentially their job is on the line. In the previous example, they look like heroes if they can save the company a lot of money with hopes of little risk.
然而,如果是在营养计划中加入新的饲料添加剂,许多营养学家则希望至少看到3个成功的案例,从投入产出比而言,至少是3:1,而正式实施之前,他们自己还会再进行2-3次试验。为什么呢?因为如果这种饲料添加剂不能给原先的营养体系带来价值,而且还让公司和消费者花很多钱,那他们的声誉,甚至事业将岌岌可危。而在上一个例子中,他们给公司省了钱并且降低了风险,于是成了英雄。
Current concerns for the swine industry
目前养猪业的担忧
I could discuss several current concerns in our industry from vitamin supply to foreign animal diseases that are creating tough decisions for the swine industry here in Northern America and around the world, but I am not going to open that ‘can of worms’. All that I ask my fellow nutritionists is to use your scientific training and methods to come to a decision.
要我讲一下目前养猪业的一些问题也是可以的,比如维生素供应、外国动物疾病流入等,这些问题让北美及全球养猪业都很难做出决策,但我不会这么做,这只会让问题更加复杂。我对其他营养学家的要求就是,用你们的科学训练和方法来做决策。
Consider the facts, reach out to colleagues and experts for insight when making these important decisions. No matter who it is you are listening to; there is one common recommendation: Know your suppliers’ quality and biosecurity standards. If your supplier finds it difficult to provide quality and biosecurity standards, you may have your answer on who your trusted supplier should be for the future.
在做出这些重大决定之前,请考虑事实,与同事和专家联系,以获得更多见解。不管对象是谁,都有一个通用的建议:应当了解供应商的质量以及生物安全标准。如果你的供应商很难证明他的质量以及生物安全标准,也许你对于未来可以信赖的供应商是谁这件事已经有了答案。
Well-being of pigs
生猪健康
It’s also important to consider the impact of the decision on the well-being of our animals in both the short term and long term. We must make the right decisions for our animals and ultimately our consumers.
同样重要的是,要考虑决策在短期和长期可能对生猪造成的影响。为了我们的猪群和客户,我们必须做出正确的决定。
Because the real risk of not doing your due diligence is that the cost to fix the new problem is greater than your short-term gains; whereas, leaving my umbrella at home I just looked like a drowned rat!
因为如果不做尽职调查,日后修复新问题的成本比短期回报要高得多;而把伞落在家里,我最多看起来像个落汤鸡。
(文/爱猪网记者刘坤颖编译,爱猪网原创请勿转载)