A Degree in Agriculture?

Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
I have a degree in agriculture and business studies….from some years ago..( too many years id care to remember).

that lead to a career, at first, in agri but not hands on. However it was a career that took me to farming in Africa, America and Indonesia.

Coming from a farm in Devon that opened my eyes big time.

It then lead to non farm related work. Sitting on City trading floor at a Japanese bank

But heart was always in farming so 15 years ago I returned to the family farm.

BIG pay cut.

Even BIGGER satisfaction and quality of life.

What did uni do for?

(in no particular order)

Opened my eyes
Exposed me to other cultures and philosophies
Enabled me to travel.
build a group of friends outside agri
Meet my wife
Build a bit of capital away from agriculture

I’m all for supporting my kids to go to uni. (Second one goes in a month)

But they have to have an end game in their plan. It’s not three years to party and build debt
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Not needed for a working farmer - but education is rarely a waste of time
Indeed it’s not a waste of time and I’m not knocking it. I’d encourage anybody to go as far as they can education wise before immersing themselves in the mundanity of earring a living but just wondered what an ag degree brings to the party. Most likely it goes back to the fundamentals, the drawing out of the mind or person : to educate, educere, to draw out. But having said that a classical degree could probably do similar.
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
Did animal science. Lots of farmers are clueless about digestion, nutrient metabolism, partition, and nutrition in general.

Suppose some of it isn't rocket science. Doesn't take a genius to feed suckler cows hay + mineral. You can reasonably easily pick up most practical day to day feeding teechniques.

But many people wouldn't have a clue why feeding energy rich maize to dairy cows might increase milk protein.
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Did animal science. Lots of farmers are clueless about digestion, nutrient metabolism, partition, and nutrition in general.

Suppose some of it isn't rocket science. Doesn't take a genius to feed suckler cows hay + mineral. You can reasonably easily pick up most practical day to day feeding teechniques.

But many people wouldn't have a clue why feeding energy rich maize to dairy cows might increase milk protein.
The most difficult thing for me as an amateur was getting suckler cows in the right condition for calving. I read all the literature but never really got it right. I take my hat off to the stockmen who do. Arable is easy in comparison.
 

Grass And Grain

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorks
The most difficult thing for me as an amateur was getting suckler cows in the right condition for calving. I read all the literature but never really got it right. I take my hat off to the stockmen who do. Arable is easy in comparison.
Ahhh, you needed to listen to Mike Tempest or Liam Sinclair. MT et al did the work for the little graph of rising/falling planes of nutrition to reach target condition score for tupping, and lambing %. Can't remember exact details.

Liam Sinclair was quite simply a genius. Learnt a lot from him.

To answer the OP, I think the biggest take-away from a degree is understanding the level of standard required in everything you do. I got lots from the experience. No good if you're not committed to the degree.
 

glasshouse

Member
Location
lothians
Did animal science. Lots of farmers are clueless about digestion, nutrient metabolism, partition, and nutrition in general.

Suppose some of it isn't rocket science. Doesn't take a genius to feed suckler cows hay + mineral. You can reasonably easily pick up most practical day to day feeding teechniques.

But many people wouldn't have a clue why feeding energy rich maize to dairy cows might increase milk protein.
Who cares about why?
 

Kidds

Member
Horticulture
University is meant to teach young people to think. There's an awful lot out there who can't.
I did an OND back in the day in commercial horticulture. Main improvement for me was the increased ability to learn things.
Any education is a good thing, the ability to read opens up a universe of learning and further education helps join the stuff you have learnt together.
It did for me anyway, very often they were telling me stuff I knew but didn't even realise I knew.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 5 2.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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