Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar
Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar
Feeding Systems with Legumes to Intensify Dairy Farms - cgiar
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Decision Tools <strong>to</strong> Overcome Nutrition Constraints in<br />
Dual-Purpose Cattle in Agro-Silvopas<strong>to</strong>ral <strong>Systems</strong><br />
Net Carbohydrate and Protein System Model<br />
Federico Holmann and Robert W. Blake<br />
CIAT-ILRI and University of Cornell<br />
The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) model was<br />
developed <strong>to</strong> predict the nutrient requirements of cattle and feed utilization<br />
by different types of animals <strong>with</strong> diverse environmental and management<br />
conditions. It is a structure that was designed <strong>to</strong> integrate and apply<br />
nutritional knowledge <strong>to</strong>:<br />
• Solve feeding problems and reduce feed cost/production unit<br />
• Set research priorities<br />
• Design sensitive experiments<br />
• Interpret experimental results<br />
• Teach the application of biological principles through the integration of<br />
knowledge, and<br />
• Minimize nutrient excretion in<strong>to</strong> the environment per unit of product<br />
produced.<br />
The CNCPS simulates the effects of nutrient intake, ruminal<br />
fermentation, intestinal digestion, absorption, and metabolism on nutrient<br />
utilization and cattle performance. Specific uses of the model are <strong>to</strong>:<br />
• Predict the effects of feed composition and quantity on cattle<br />
performance<br />
• Predict the effects of digestive and metabolic modifiers on cattle<br />
performance<br />
• Evaluate and balance rations for the host animal and rumen bacteria<br />
• Adjust cattle requirements and estimates of performance for different<br />
environmental conditions, and<br />
• Simulate and predict the effects of gastrointestinal parameters on feed<br />
utilization<br />
Thus, this model predicts nutrient requirements and nutrient pool sizes<br />
interacting <strong>with</strong> changing diet composition available <strong>to</strong> animals.<br />
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