Optimized feed planning for a grazing horse production systems

Abstract

-The objective of this study was to develop an economically optimal plan for pasture production and supplementary feeding of horses. The plan was based on the optimization of a multiperiodic linear programming model with the objective of minimizing overall feeding costs, subject to the nutritional constraints of each horse category. The model encompasses a period of one year, from January to December, divided in bimonthly periods. Technical coefficients varied among periods based on local information regarding productivity of the forage crops, taking into account the local climatic conditions and seasonality of production. Literature data on feed nutritional value (crude protein and digestible energy), dry matter intake and nutritional requirements of the horses were also used as technical coefficients. Optimization results allow concluding that it is possible to reduce significantly the feeding costs in the horse production system by decreasing supplementation and substituting the commercial concentrate by the oat grain produced in the local.Key Words: linear programming, modeling, ration balancing Planejamento otimizado da alimentação em um sistema de produção de equinos em pastejo RESUMO -Objetivou-se planejar e otimizar economicamente a produção de forragem e a alimentação de equinos, visando reduzir os custos de um sistema de produção de equinos em pastejo. O planejamento foi desenvolvido a partir da otimização de um modelo de programação linear multiperiódico com o objetivo de reduzir as despesas com alimentação, sujeita às restrições de exigência nutricional de cada categoria. O modelo contemplou o período de um ano, de janeiro a dezembro, dividido em bimestres. Os coeficientes técnicos variaram entre períodos com base em informações locais sobre a produtividade dos cultivos forrageiros e valores nutricionais dos alimentos (proteína bruta e energia digestível) sugeridos na literatura, considerando as condições climáticas e a sazonalidade de produção, observados na Coudelaria. De acordo com os resultados, é possível reduzir os custos no sistema de produção de forragem e na alimentação de equinos, bem como substituir o uso de concentrado comercial por aveia produzida no local.Palavras-chave: balanceamento de dieta, modelagem, programação linear Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia

Farm-Boarding School Management: Linear Programming Contributions in the Search of Self-Sufficiency and Optimization

“…This change brought the scenario and practice outcomes close together. The adopted logic is not usually reported in literature, as working with formulas from nutritional requirement tables, as is the case of Gameiro et al (2016) and Oliveira et al (2010), is the rule.…”

Application of weighted goal programming in the optimization of rations for sport horses

“…Poorly balanced feed rations certainly affect the welfare of animals and can worsen their health, especially of those who are under constant psychological and physical pressure, such as sport horses. Studies (Zhang and Roush, 2002;Zimmermann, 2008;Oliveira et al, 2010;Žgajnar et al, 2010) have been conducted in the field of ruminant nutrition for production purposes, so it was a research challenge to condense the information on the development of mathematical methods in animals that experience high levels of competitive stress.…”