Was Animal Nutrition Wrong? Re-examining This Science

Animal nutrition is hard to learn, impossible to understand, and after years of study you still can't formulate a single feed recipe; after four years you graduate and end up selling feed just the same, and you can't even outsell the non-majors...None of the above remarks are mine; they are all voices from forums.I also studied animal nutrition, and I studied it for four years and am about to graduate. Though I can't claim to have "mastered the craft" over these years, I am confident that I am by no means "accomplished in nothing," and I feel I am qualified enough to take a breather here. Seeing so many complaints and accusations on the forums, as an "animal nutrition person," I have to step forward to clear the name of animal nutrition.-- Was animal nutrition wrong?Why did you choose this major?My experience of studying this major is simple: the first time I took the college entrance exam, my first choice and first major was Animal Nutrition at South China Agricultural University; the second time I took the exam, my first choice and first major was also Animal Nutrition at South China Agricultural University, and then I was admitted. Of the 28 people in our class, only 4 had chosen this major; 24 had been transferred in from other majors.How do you study this major?I didn't pay much attention to basic courses and often skipped classes, which led to three retakes, one of which I retook 4 times. This shows I am not a particularly hardworking or diligent student; on the contrary, I was lazy. But for more specialized courses -- Additive Science, Nutrition, Feed Ingredient Science, Feed Production Science... -- I was very fond of them. I hardly ever missed a single session of these classes. Even if I really had to miss class, I would let the teacher know, and this never happened in the earlier basic courses. My love for the specialty is evident. It was precisely this love that drove my desire to acquire more knowledge, and that desire could far from be satisfied in the classroom alone! For this reason, I often spent time in the library. China Feed Industry, China Poultry Guide, China Poultry, Breeding Technology Advisor... I was almost always the first to open each issue of these publications. China Animal Husbandry Information Network, China Poultry Industry Information Network, China Feed Industry Information Network, China Additive Information Network... I frequented these websites even more. Through these books and websites, I gained a great deal of knowledge I longed for, and even much that I had never imagined. I dare not claim to be erudite or versatile; I am just a very ordinary person, just using my own way to strive to find what I want. I dare not ask all of you how many professional books you have read or how many professional websites you have visited; still less dare I presume to lecture those of you who complain about animal nutrition. I think I am humble before you, truly humble, and unqualified to instruct you -- after all, everyone's way of living is different.What did you learn from this major?To be frank, if you ask me to answer this question, my answer is simple: it seems like I learned nothing at all. Only when you face reality and the field do you truly know what you have learned and what you haven't.What benefits have you gained from this major?I haven't graduated yet, so I haven't gained any substantive, or rather material, benefits, but it has truly made me feel fulfilled and added a bit of confidence. I have always firmly believed that spending a great deal of time and energy doing things steadily will surely bring unexpected rewards, and these rewards will benefit you for life! Do you believe that?-- Was animal nutrition wrong? No! Nothing about it is wrong!
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Actually there is nothing wrong with it; it just depends on how you apply it in practice.
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It all depends on human effort, but having a good opportunity makes it even better.
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Interest is the best teacher. You have a very high interest in this industry, and that is the cornerstone of your success. As for feeling that you haven't succeeded now or haven't done well enough, I think you are overemphasizing your major, being too centered on your major. You should know who the users or feedback providers of your formulas are; you should understand more deeply the needs of those you serve (not your customers, but the livestock and poultry that consume the feed you design), so that you can make better nutritional formulas.
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Well written, you will achieve great things.
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I studied animal nutrition for over a decade, and I feel I didn't choose wrong; I still haven't learned enough~~
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In anything, diligence is essential, and everything depends on insight.
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Some people did choose wrong, and wasted their parents' hard-earned money.
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I also studied animal nutrition, and I also feel I didn't choose wrong. Now I feel there is more and more to learn, only that there isn't enough time.
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You are quite right, I will remember that.
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I feel the same way! The knowledge we currently acquire is really limited, and I always feel it is far from enough and that I must hurry to learn.
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Hehe~ Thank you for the blessing! Same to you!