A livestock nutritionist and producer from West Wyalong in the northern Riverina of NSW, Nicole Logg, has been awarded a 2023 Nuffield Scholarship supported by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) to investigate how sheep producers can strategically use supplements to not only provide energy and protein, but also enable their sheep to utilise the nutrients in their feed more effectively, thereby improving productivity.
"I hope my research will ultimately help to create a simple way for farmers to better understand what they have naturally in their pastures and available feed resources, and what they may be deficient in during different seasonal periods," Nicole said.
With access to better data and information, producers could make more informed decisions – extracting more nutrients from the feed provided whilst reducing stressors and supporting animal health. This strategic approach is ultimately more cost-effective, as it means farmers can maximise efficiency when it comes to labour decisions.
The potential effectiveness of using supplements in this way could be a game-changer for sheep and wool production. Nicole sees a future where feeding and supplementation plans are completely customised to individual farms, fine-tuning farmer approaches for healthier soils, pastures and livestock.
Nicole says she has been fortunate to learn about the current supplement offerings available to Australian farmers through her work as a livestock nutritionist.
"However, I would like to further investigate new and novel supplementation approaches for aiding digestion and supporting immune function," she said.
Her scholarship will see her travel to other nations with significant sheep industries – such as New Zealand, the UK, Argentina, Uruguay and Spain – to investigate how supplements are being used abroad to improve animal health, reduce stress and provide better data for decision-making.
AWI CEO John Roberts says supporting the Nuffield Scholarship program each year is one of the ways that AWI is increasing farming knowledge and management skills in the Australian wool industry.
"Through the adoption of best practice nutrition, we can improve on-farm productivity which will help ensure the long-term competitiveness of the Australian wool industry," he said.
"This research could also improve woolgrowers' reproduction management by helping to better match available feed to nutritional requirements, as well as improve animal welfare outcomes through improved lamb survival and reduced ewe mortality."
As well as running her livestock consulting business, Nicole with her husband runs a sheep and cattle operation at West Wyalong. She is also an accredited presenter for the AWI-supported Lifetime Ewe Management course and AWI's Winning With Weaners workshops.
