18: Precision livestock feeding, principle and practice

Abstract

Precision livestock farming (PLF) is proposed to the livestock industry as an essential tool to enhance sustainability and competitiveness.\nPrecision livestock feeding is part of PLF and can have a great impact in livestock profitability due the ability of feeding pigs with diets tailored daily to their nutrient requirements.\nPrecision livestock feeding can decrease livestock environmental impacts by optimising the use of dietary nutrients and animal nutrient utilisation efficiency which results in less nutrient excretion.\nMathematical models developed for precision livestock feeding must be designed to operate in real-time using system measurements. These models are structurally different from traditional nutrition models.\nThe success of PLF is dependent on the precision livestock feeding integration into the system, as well, the adaptability and training of the farmers to use PLF systems.\n