Ruminant parameters grow

CLEM.Resources.RuminantParametersGrow

Provides the parameters for Grow ruminants.

The ruminant growth model (Grow ruminants) used by CLEM is based on that developed for the IAT and NABSA models using the Nutrient requirements of domesticated ruminants (NRDR, 2007) and allows for the simulation of a wide range of ruminants. These parameters relate to this original version. The new Grow ruminants (Protein and Fat) model has its own parameter sets (Ruminant parameters grow PF (protein & fat)).

This component is placed as a child of the Ruminant parameters holder for each Ruminant type.

The following breed parameters are provided by user level and category

These farm level parameters are usually specified for each simulation and available for all user levels.

These parameters relate to the survival of the ruminant type. Most of the mortality functionality has now been moved to Ruminant death, but the base mortality is required for a range of activities to determine initial herd structure.

Even if animals are well fed and proper animal husbandry practices are followed some individuals will die. This property provides the annual proportion of individuals in the population that die (i.e. 0.03 represents 3% mortality). This is applied across all individuals regardless of age once weaned. There are additional mortality rates for the fetus and new born individuals. Additional mortality will also apply based on an individuals weight in relation to the maximum weight achieved to account for underweight individuals.

Rate between 0 and 1

See Ruminant death for details of mortality/survival calculations.

Name MortalityBase
Category Farm
Sub-category Survival
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow, Ruminant.Parameters.Grow.MortalityBaseDaily

These parameters are required by the user creating new breeds for simulations and will not be changed by the general user.

These parameters are associated with determining intake and feed quality. See Graze ruminants and Grow ruminants for details of calculations.

The coefficient and intercept used to calculate potential intake in relation to the live weight of the individual.

Name IntakeIntercept, IntakeCoefficient
Category Breed
Sub-category Diet
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Three constants (A, B and C) are required to determine the additional intake consumed to account for lactation demands.

Name LactatingPotentialModifierConstantA, LactatingPotentialModifierConstantB, LactatingPotentialModifierConstantC
Category Breed
Sub-category Diet
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Coefficient to calculate crude protein required from diet dry matter digestibility.

Name ProteinCoefficient
Category Breed
Sub-category Diet
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Coefficient to calculate crude protein supply from percent Nitrogen in diet (x 62.5) to give protein.

Name ProteinDegradability
Category Breed
Sub-category Diet
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

This property allows you to set a maximum intake permitted as a multiplier of Potential Intake. This value only applies to manual feeding styles (i.e. Specified daily amount, Specified daily amount per individual, Proportion of weight and Proportion of feed available) that allow excess feed to be provided . This multiplier does not influence grazing intake calculations and will not consider any previous overfeeding when grazing is performed after manual feeding.

Animal size is now defined from intake quality and energy relations. The relative size of the individual and influences on intake and energy use will automatically provide upper limits to animal size.

The following five parameters are used to determine the potential and actual milk intake from sucklings and define a potential intake (ensures individual is able to be fed or graze pasture) as a size when milk intake drops below critical levels. These parameters are designed to allow a slow progression from suckling to fodder consumption for juveniles as the mothers' milk production drops with time since birth (or the individual is orphaned). For full details see Potential intake in Ruminant Activity Grow.

The coefficient and intercept of the linear equation based on live weight (kg) to calculate potential milk intake. See Potential intake.

Name MilkIntakeCoefficient, , MilkIntakeIntercept
Category Breed
Sub-category Intake
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Maximum daily milk intake (L/day). This limits the energy available from milk intake as the minimum of energy from milk consumed, or from maximum milk intake will be provided.

Name MilkIntakeMaximum
Category Breed
Sub-category Intake
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

The maximum milk intake as a proportion of live weight before calculating a potential intake and allowing fodder substitution. See Potential intake.

Name MilkLWTFodderSubstitutionProportion
Category Breed
Sub-category Intake
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Max juvenile (suckling) fodder and feed intake as proportion of live weight (kg).

Name MaxJuvenileIntake
Category Breed
Sub-category Intake
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

The proportion of milk intake to be deducted maximum non-milk intake calculated from live-weight to determine potential intake. 1 - all milk is included in potential intake, 0 - no milk considered in potential intake.

Name ProportionalDiscountDueToMilk
Category Breed
Sub-category Intake
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

These parameters relate to the growth of the ruminant type. See Grow ruminants for details on the use of Standard Reference Weight and growth, energy and intake descriptions.

Two parameters (the coefficient and intercept) are provided to determine the efficiency of use of energy for maintenance.

km = coefficient * EM/EG + intercept

where EM is the proportion of digestible energy that is metabolisable (assumed 0.81) and EG is the Gross energy content of feed (MJ/kg DM, set in Grow ruminants)

Name Kme
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Two parameters (the coefficient and intercept) are provided to determine the efficiency of use of energy for maintenance.

km = coefficient * EM/EG + intercept

where EM is the proportion of digestible energy that is metabolisable (assumed 0.81) and EG is the Gross energy content of feed (MJ/kg DM, set in Grow ruminants)

Name EMaintEfficiencyCoefficient, EMaintEfficiencyIntercept
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Two parameters (the coefficient and intercept) are provided to determine the efficiency of use of energy for growth.

kg = coefficient * EM/EG + intercept

where EM is the proportion of digestible energy that is metabolisable (assumed 0.81) and EG is the Gross energy content of feed (MJ/kg DM, set in Grow ruminants)

Name EGrowthEfficiencyCoefficient, EGrowthEfficiencyIntercept
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Two parameters (the coefficient and intercept) are provided to determine the efficiency of use of energy for lactation.

kl = coefficient * EM/EG + intercept

where EM is the proportion of digestible energy that is metabolisable (assumed 0.81) and EG is the Gross energy content of feed (MJ/kg DM, set in Grow ruminants)

Name ELactationEfficiencyCoefficient, ELactationEfficiencyIntercept
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Three parameters (the exponent, coefficient and intercept) are provided to determine the maintenance energy required for an individual based on its weight and age (ref SCA p.24).

See Grow ruminants for details of energy calculations.

Name EMaintExponent, EMaintIntercept, EMaintCoefficient
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

This defines the maximum age (in years) for the energy for maintenance calculation.

See Grow ruminants for details of energy calculations.

Name EnergyMaintenanceMaximumAge
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters, Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Two parameters (intercept #1 and intercept #2) are used to calculate the empty body gain.

See Grow ruminants for details of energy calculations.

Name GrowthEnergyIntercept1, GrowthEnergyIntercept2
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

The growth efficiency is used to calculate the energy available for body mass change.

See Grow ruminants for details of energy calculations.

Name GrowthEfficiency
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

These parameters are used to determine the amount of other products created by the herd

The rate at which wool is produced as a proportion of intake.

Name WoolCoefficient
Category Breed
Sub-category Products
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

The rate at which cashmere is produced as a proportion of intake.

Name CashmereCoefficient
Category Breed
Sub-category Products
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

This functionality has been moved to Ruminant enteric methane (Charmley).

These parameters are used to calculate the age adjusted mortality rate.

The Body Condition Score below which the additional poor condition mortality is applied to the individual. See the Basic/General section above for the parameters required and Individual ruminant for details of the calculation of Body Condition Score.

This approach is used when the previous Proportion of body weight needed for survival parameter is set to a value less than 0 (off).

Name GrowthEfficiency
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

The additional mortality rate for individuals at the lowest Body Condition Score. Individuals at the lowest score will have this additional chance of dying applied each timestep based on their poor body condition as a result of under nutrition. See the Basic/General section above for the parameters required and Individual ruminant for details of the calculation of Body Condition Score.

This approach is used when the previous Proportion of body weight needed for survival parameter is set to a value less than 0 (off).

Name GrowthEfficiency
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

This parameter defines the body weight as a proportion of Standard Reference Weight below which the individual will die.

A value less than 0 will switch this approach off and use the Mortality rate for low Body Condition Score parameter which is now the preferred approach.

Name GrowthEfficiency
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Three parameters (the exponent, coefficient and intercept) are provided to determine the age adjusted mortality rate.

See Grow ruminants for details of mortality/survival calculations.

Name GrowthEfficiency
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

Two parameters (the exponent and coefficient) are provided to determine the adjusted mortality rate based on the mothers weight.

A third parameter (maximum) is used to define the maximum juvenile mortality possible.

See Grow ruminants for details of mortality/survival calculations.

Name GrowthEfficiency
Category Breed
Sub-category Growth
Location

Ruminant.Parameters.Grow

See also