Whole-Herd Optimization with the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. II. Allocating Homegrown Feeds Across the Herd for Optimum Nutrient Use

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to develop a linear optimization procedure for allocating homegrown feeds across the herd to optimize use of their nutrients in whole farm nutrient management planning. The first step involved developing an optimal diet for each group by a linear programming (LP) procedure developed for the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS). Information (feed biological values, nutrient requirements, animal and environmental factors, nutrient excretion, and the optimal diet) for each group was exported to a whole farm worksheet, where another LP procedure was used to optimize the allocation of homegrown crops by satisfying the set requirements of each animal group while optimizing return over feed costs and nutrient excretion constraints. A sample evaluation shows how this model was used to reduce N, P, and K excretion by changing feeding strategies while maintaining return over feed costs.