From the Spreadsheet to the Slats | Dr. Hyatt Frobose

Send us Fan MailSwine nutrition has become increasingly precise. We have better models, better ingredient analytics, better data, and more technology than ever before.But pigs still have to get fed.Dr. Hyatt Frobose has spent the last eleven years working in the space between what nutritionists can design on a spreadsheet and what actually happens inside a barn. In this conversation, Hyatt and I talk about why he chose an unconventional career path after earning his Ph.D. at Kansas State University, what he has learned about translating science into practical application, and why sometimes there is elegance in simplicity.Our discussion moves well beyond feeding equipment. We talk about leadership and developing people, learning from lost sales, breaking down silos between nutrition, production, facilities, and engineering, the opportunities and limitations of precision feeding, and why the swine industry should be uncomfortable with current levels of mortality.We also discuss animal welfare, the importance of maintaining a strong connection between research and the realities of commercial production, and the challenge of turning nuanced science into information people can actually use.This is a conversation about technology, but more importantly, it is about implementation. Because the best science in the world only creates value when we can make it work on the farm.