UF/IFAS Challenging Conventional Wisdom for the Cattle Industry
One of the jobs of UF/IFAS scientists is to challenge conventional wisdom. You don’t want to bet the ranch on something that only seems true, says Scott Angle, UF VP for Agriculture and head of UF/IFAS. Facts, empirical evidence, and data are a more solid foundation for the truth you need to make decisions about the herd.
At the Florida Cattlemen’s Association convention this summer, Angle talked a little bit at the research and education committee about the importance of challenging conventional wisdom. For two reasons, he believes it’s one of the greatest services that the UF/IFAS provides its stakeholders.
First, challenging conventional wisdom can reveal new insights about how to run a ranch and even correct practices that impede efficiency and productivity. In addition, a scientific challenge to conventional wisdom can debunk customers’ falsely held beliefs about what producers do.
He provides three examples of how UF/IFAS agricultural scientists are challenging the public perception that passes for conventional wisdom about the cattle industry, mentioning researchers Wendy Dahl, K.C. Jeong, Geoff Dahl, and Agegbola Adesogan.
Read more about UF/IFAS Challenging Conventional Wisdom for the Cattle Industry.