We feel that by working with Advanced Nutrition, they are always looking at the bigger picture. They help us to plan ahead as well as keeping the Jersey herd running day-to-day. New ideas on management of the herd are always coming from Advanced Nutrition.
Annabelle Staveley: Advances to Ruminant Nutritionist
We are proud to announce Annabelle Staveley as a fully trained Ruminant Nutritionist, following her completion of our rigorous training program!
Annabelle joined us in 2019 and having grown up on a dairy farm in Lancashire her passion for improving herd health and performance was there from the start. Her hands-on experience also helped provide the foundation to build strong relationships with her clients. She now works across the North of England and Scotland as a valuable member of our team.
“As part of our commitment to research and education, our intensive training course aims to give young professionals, like Annabelle, a holistic approach to nutrition and herd management. We aim to provide our team with the knowledge and confidence to go out and really enjoy their job, bringing a positive attitude to the farms we work with. We want to help farmers make positive choices so we can push forward to ensure increased profitability and sustainability,” comments Eoghan Mullery, Technical Director at Advanced Ruminant Nutrition.
“We look at all areas of herd management from seeding and forage right through to the cow’s environment and mobility, as well as the latest nutritional research. We also train through a variety of systems and models which include both cows milked in the parlour and through robots. Our links with industry leaders and experts means that within our training program our young specialists get the best education possible.”
Annabelle began her time in the office, as well as supporting the nutritionists out on our customer’s farms, to gain a rounded understanding of the business, working in both customer service and accounts.
Annabelle shared some of her highlights of training with us, which included a cow dissection. As part of her in house training with qualified Vet and Head of Technical, Will Tulley, they started at the cow’s rumen. “When dissecting the cow, it was really interesting to see all 4 stomachs to understand how cows digest the forage and the nutrients we are feeding the cow.” In house training also included learning modules on forage, the transition period, cow signals, environment and heifer rearing.
“Over the first few months I visited our clients alongside other members of the team to gain an understanding of how they worked, what they looked for in the cows and what data they gathered on farm. It was interesting to see how they utilised the data to make a difference to productivity. Diet formulation is important but it’s just one part of the picture. We always interrogate the data questioning it with, why? We frequently walk the cows regularly to further ask ‘what are the cows communicating to us?’”
As part of her learning, Annabelle was encouraged to make her mark and take an active role. She played a key role in establishing monthly reports for the customers she supported. She also set up regular dung sieves for her clients to take a practical approach to check the effectiveness of the cows’ diets.
“One of the highlights of my training was Completing the Dairyland Initiative Foot Trimming course with David Rowe. The course has influenced my day-to-day farm visits and I now regularly mobility scoring herds, working as part of the on farm team to improve mobility,” says Annabelle.
The company is dedicated to tackling lameness through our Advanced Mobility program, which includes the innovative First Step initiative as well as backing from mobility experts such as Nick Bell. “To enhance our expertise, we also ensure our team participates in foot trimming courses. While the goal isn't to train our team as certified foot trimmers, these courses provide the team with a deep understanding of the entire process and the crucial impact of environmental factors and nutrition on hoof health”, comments Eoghan.
Training is not confined to the UK. Annabelle’s development included international experiences, such as Zinpro’s First Step program in Germany, where she gained practical insights into improving cow environments. “These global partnerships allow us to integrate cutting edge practices into our Advanced Mobility and nutrition programs,” notes Eoghan.
“Investing in training is a cornerstone of our success. By equipping our team with advanced knowledge and skills, we ensure our clients receive the best possible advice and solutions. Benchmarking and collaborating with industry experts allows us to remain at the forefront of dairy nutrition, benefiting both our team and our customers.”
In 2024 the team attended 15 conferences and accrued over 70 hours of learning.
Now a fully trained Ruminant Nutritionist, Annabelle works with her own clients across Scotland and the North of England. She regularly mobility scores herds, formulates diets, and collaborates with farmers to improve productivity and sustainability. Her proactive approach has already made an impact on the farms she supports.
Annabelle’s key takeaway from her learning experience, comes from her colleague Sam Cottam who notes that, “Forage is king, and milk is the absence of stress!”
By investing in training, we empower our team to deliver results that not only improve profitability but also ensure the wellbeing of the cows we care for.
"Whilst Annabelle is now a Ruminant Nutritionist, her learning (like the rest of our team) continues and she still has the full support of the more experienced Advanced Ruminant Nutrition team members, however it’s a great milestone for Annabelle to reach and we are delighted for her," concludes Eoghan.
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