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NOSCOW — A predictive model of the energy system of cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

J M Bruce ,
P J Broadbent  and
J H Topps
J M Bruce
Affiliation:
Scottish Farm Buildings Investigation Unit Craibstone, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9TR
P J Broadbent
Affiliation:
North of Scotland College of Agriculture , 581 King Street, Aberdeen AB9 1UD
J H Topps
Affiliation:
North of Scotland College of Agriculture , 581 King Street, Aberdeen AB9 1UD
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Extract

Energy is a major currency and resource in ecological systems. It is essential that the energy flows in such systems are understood for effective control of the production of livestock. With growing, lactating or pregnant cattle the farmer is faced with the problem of feeding to give optimum results. He needs to be able to predict the effects of feed quality, quantity and its distribution in time. Central to this problem is the prediction of how energy is used by the cow, for the competing processes of growth, lactation and pregnancy. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a deterministic model, NOSCOW, of the bioenergetic system for lactating, and pregnant, cattle. The model uses the recommendations of ARC (1980) as a base but includes the key ideas of potentials for lactation and growth. Twelve input factors are required by the model. The output is a time series with a weekly time step.

Type
Milk Production
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1984 , March 1984 , pp. 22
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1984

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References

Agricultural Research Council. 1980. The Nutrient Requirements of Ruminant Livestock. Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau, Slough.Google Scholar
Bruce, J.M., Broadbent, P. J. and Topps, J. H. 1984. A model of the energy system of lactating, and pregnant, cows. Anim. Prod. In press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, St C. S. 1968. Time taken to mature in relation to mature weight for sexes, strains and species of domesticated mammals and birds. Anim. Prod. 10: 157–169.Google Scholar
Wood, P. D. P. 1980. Breed variation in the shape of the lactation curve of cattle and their implications for efficiency. Anim. Prod. 31: 133–141.Google Scholar