Compass Feeds nutritionist heads in new direction

Early this month he retired after nearly 50 years providing sound advice to farmers on how to feed their animals to ensure they not only survived but thrived and lifted production.

In later years he has also been a mentor to the next generation of nutritionists.

Ross, who had a "hard upbringing" in Sydney, developed a romantic notion of rural Australia from the many books he would read, including bush bard Banjo Paterson's poems.

"I was an avid reader although I could hardly count from 1 to 10, as soon as I was 14 (years old) I took off wherever my thumb (hitchhiking) would take me," he said.

After a while working on properties, he realised he needed to finish his schooling and also get a tertiary education.

Marrying at a young age and starting a family, he couldn't undertake a lengthy degree, instead completing short courses at Dookie Ag College in Vic and the University of New England at Armidale, NSW, on animal physiology and veterinary skills.

In the 1970s he spent much of his time in piggeries and poultry sheds following his interest in feed conversion efficiency and amino acid activity.

For a "bit of fun" he attended a shearing school in Kyneton, Vic. After a week he had a "gutful" of holding the handpiece but the experience gave him a thirst to learn more about the sheep industry.

"A local shearing contractor told me I was "too light for heavy work", stick to working with your brain," he said.

"Forty-eight years later, here I am."

Ross was employed as a rep in Bayer's old veterinary division for five years.

From there he was head-hunted by Ian Cox and Brian South to move to SA to work for independent merchandiser IAMA in animal health and nutrition procurement, based at Strathalbyn.

At the time the state's sheep and cattle feedlot industry was still in its infancy.

He later progressed to being IAMA's state animal nutritionist.

Nearly 20 years ago he joined Mount Compass stock feed manufacturer, Compass Feeds.

Through the years Ross has developed a range of mineral supplements for dairy, beef and sheep, as well as feedlot pellets, such as LambGrow, which are used on many farms.

"Ninety per cent of what we tried has worked. We weren't trying to sell $80 bags, I think we can say what we offered was value for money and it works," he said.

In more recent times, Ross says prescription mixes have grown significantly, with custom blends made based on plant tissue tests and soil tests.

Ross travelled extensively for Compass Feeds but in the past decade has spent considerable time working with pastoralists, especially in the Western Division of NSW - an area he considers has been largely forgotten.

"Science, to a degree, has let those people in the outside country down because it is such a different environment," he said.

"If you are managing a place out the back of Wilcannia, NSW, or managing a place in Lucindale there are some similarities but not many. It is difficult for many people to see how animals could get fat in that country but timing is everything - it is amazing how animals can adapt."

Ross says it has been a two-way knowledge transfer, also learning a huge amount from these "salt of the earth" pastoralists.

Despite his strong scientific knowledge, Ross says the key to his successful career has been getting his hands dirty in the paddock and observing live animals and their social behaviour.

"There are plenty of people who are happy to go to work each day and sit in glass menageries working out rations for a feedmill but that wasn't for me," he said.

"If you really want to know what is going on, you need to look at the live animal - the appearance of the animal, wool, the way it walks and even their ears."

In the early 1990s he remembers selling 135 ewes at the Ballarat market for $3 each and getting a bill for $4.20 a head, but he says the remarkable prices recently have put greater emphasis on feeding stock, especially breeders, well.

He believes there is still huge untapped potential with the next big gains highly-technical nutrient blends.

For this to be achieved though, a blend of experienced nutritionists willing to share their experience and those early in their career getting "outside their comfort zone" is needed.

"It's a challenging industry that needs leadership, it's a shame to see up and coming people in the nutrition industry plodding along without a rudder," he said.

"We don't need a regurgitation of old ideas, we need to support new and innovative approaches to production and health."

Ross jokes that he planned to work until he was 100 years old, but ill-health has forced him to retire early.

He and his wife Teresa - who have 17 grandchildren - have just moved from the Mid North to Alexandra in north-east Vic, where he will continue his cancer treatment and also get the fishing rod out, he hopes.

"Agriculture has given me a sense of belonging and I have always had an affinity with animals and a knack of being able to fix them," he said.

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