Real-Life Communication
You're an animal nutritionist staying up late to put together a presentation
on nutrition and winterizing cattle herds. Tomorrow, you will drive out of
town to a rural community hall to deliver a speech to the local cattle ranchers.
"Communication
skills are incredibly important," says Ronald Lemenager. He is a professor
of animal nutrition.
Animal nutritionists use reading and writing skills
to conduct research. They also interact with animal producers and owners.
They need to be able to listen to requests and give accurate information.
"Animal
nutritionists work with basic research, and figure out what can be applied
at a practical level," says Lemenager. "We have to understand the producer's
needs. We interpret this, and then show them how to apply the system."
This
is the opening of your presentation:
"Every year, mother
nature gives us a certain quality of forage. This year, unfortunately, we
had a great deal of rain. This means that many of you had to delay cutting
your hay, so the grass was left in the field to become more mature. More mature
grass means less nutritious, lower quality hay. Is this going to be enough
to sustain your herd over the winter?
"It may not be. If you're looking
to have a calf born in February or March, the pregnant cow will be in her
third trimester over the winter. This is also the time that she will require
the most nutrition and highest level of protein to produce a good-sized, healthy
calf.
"In order to ensure that your pregnant cows are getting enough
protein, we can use our lab technology to analyze the quality of hay. The
hay from each field and each cut will vary, so it's important to analyze the
hay from each field. From this, we can figure out what nutrients are missing,
and the easiest and cheapest way to supplement your feedings."
You've
thought of some questions the cattle ranchers might ask.
- Why do you think the hay this year will be lower in nutrients?
- Why is the amount of protein in feed so important over winter?
- Why do I need to have my hay analyzed if the rancher down the road is
having his done?
How would you answer them?