Leading agriculture supplier Carrs Billington has boosted its technical team with the appointment of an award-winning nutritionist.
Dr Ruth Lawson joins the Carlisle-based company as technical manager and is putting her scientific and practical skills to good use in helping farmers improve performance.
Dr Lawson, a previous UK Dairy Nutritionist of the Year, has worked in the feed industry, on research with agricultural consultancy ADAS and also has experience as a university lecturer.
The Carrs Billington technical team is tasked with helping farmers improve efficiency and profitability and has a strong track record of developing new products and innovations that deliver results.
Dr Lawson, whose specialities include robotic milking systems, feeding high yielding cows and transition cows, said: “I’m really happy to work with all sizes of farm. The important aspect is that they want to improve performance. I’d say that every time we work with a farm, we find ways in which we can help to improve its performance.
“In the case of robotics, it’s a major capital investment and the more efficiently we can make it work through examining the data, the more profitable the farm can become.”
Dr Lawson, whose interest in nutrition began on the family farm in West Yorkshire, graduated from the University of Newcastle with a degree in Agriculture, with Honours in Animal Production, and then gained a PhD in dairy cow nutrition and behaviour from Leeds University.
Managing Director Dr Mark Cole said: “Ruth’s diverse mix of academic, research and industry experience equip her with a unique ability to take ruminant research results from university to the farm. It’s exactly the type of experience that can really add value to any farm.
“Her knowledge and passion for the industry will enable her to provide technical support both on-farm and to the sales team.”
