TERM PROJECT ASSIGNMENT: (You will not be ready to do this assignment until you have learned to balance rations successfully, and done at least some reading about feeding for the species of your choice) Balance the rations for each of the classes of animal for the species of your choice. You may choose a beef operation, a dairy operation, a swine or poultry enterprise, or even a dog kennel (see below). YOU make and list the assumptions you use (such as feed conversion to figure amount of feed, death loss to account for, litter sizes, ANY ASSUMPTIONS NECESSARY). YOU choose what feeds to feed. YOU choose and explain the feeding program (some animals may utilize pasture part of the year). BALANCE at least ONE RATION BY HAND, the other rations you may obtain from computer programs, or even published sources such as extension bulletins or textbooks. EXPLAIN the feeding program for your operation (you specify the size) for ONE YEAR. Then estimate the amount of each feed your operation needs for one year. This is a big assignment, but I do not want to make it unnecessarily difficult. You may use outside resources, I merely want you to include one hand-balanced ration. What assumptions you make are not important to me if they are realistic. This exercise should be the culmination of this course, in a practical sense, resulting in realistic rations and feeding programs. 50 point project. Summary, your report should include: • A narrative describing your feeding project, your assumptions and other description. • All the rations needed (can come from various sources with one balanced by yourself). • Amounts of your diets needed, and feeds needed for one year. (Suppose you are going to a banker and you need to show your planning for the enterprise, or you are giving this report to your manager that will carry out your plan, including contracting for your feeds needed in advance). • Bibleography – a list of resources used (format not very important). This should be a VERY PRACTICAL feeding program. If you are just feeding your animals pasture, say so, with the type of pasture and an estimate of acres, and there are no further calculations necessary. Imagine you are giving your term paper to a manager to plan for and run the nutritional part of your enterprise, they should know just what to do from your paper. 200 Holstein Dairy cows Following these assumptions Assumptions: Average lactation period: 305 days. Dry period: 60 days. Milk production: 80 pounds per cow per day. Desired body condition score (BCS) for lactating cows: 3.5 on a scale of 1 to 5 . Desired BCS for dry cows: 3.0 . Pasture utilization: 50% of the year ( 150 days). Concentrate feeds will be used to supplement pasture and forage. Feeding program designed to meet nutritional requirements based on NRC (National Research Council) guidelines. No feed wastage assumed.
