Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Rivera-Torres
et al
. (2011a,b,c) used intern-
ally only by nutritionists. With this applica-
tion the user can run different scenarios to
compare turkey growth responses and pro-
duction costs depending on nutrient levels,
feeding schedule and growth potential. Both
tools work by running simulations of differ-
ent nutritional strategies to evaluate impacts
on growth rate, FCR and production costs.
They are used to make informed choices,
not as optimization tools, but are aimed at
helping the user explain the bird's response
to different scenarios. It is important to the
company that the users still critically evalu-
ate the outputs and decide which option is
more appropriate given the production goals
desired.
example is the
CENTRAVI
model (Bignon
et al
., 2007), which also adapted the INAVI
broiler growth simulation and incorporated
the impact of physical activity and feed char-
acteristics like pellet hardness, durability,
length and fine levels on performance.
Meta-analyses have also been conducted
and have helped to determine tendencies
of responses; for example, the work of
Létourneau-Montminy
et al
. (2010) related
to utilization of phosphorus or the work of
Nugues
et al
. (2013) on wheat digestibility.
Private companies have been developing
modelling tools, most of them based on em-
pirical approaches simultaneously with meta-
analysis. One example was presented by
Mathiaud
et al
. (2013) at the '10th Journées
de la Recherche Avicole'. Some of the private
developments from European companies
could be considered more mechanistic, such
as the TECHNA model for turkeys (Rivera-
Torres
et al
., 2011a,b,c).
Model development in Europe
The
INAVI
growth model developed at INRA
(France) and described in detail in this topic
(see Méda
et al
., Chapter
9,
this volume)
simulates broiler growth according to the
bird's environment, including diet, tem-
perature and genetic lines. Its main driving
force could be considered to be its feed in-
take regulated by the balance between
thermogenesis and thermolysis. This model
has now evolved by combining INAVI (feed
regulated) with the work of Dr Luciano
Hauschild (Professor UNESP, Jaboticabal,
São Paulo, Brazil, 2013, personal communi-
cation), which included concepts described
by Emmans (1981, 1989, 1994) and uses
genetic potential growth as a driving force.
Other models have been developed
from INAVI. For example,
MOLDAVI
is a
modelling approach (Méda, 2011) to evalu-
ate the fluxes of various elements coming in
and out of poultry houses (greenhouse gas,
nitrogen and phosphorus). The purpose of
this model was to be able to predict prop-
erly the variations in element emissions in
order to evaluate the local or global envir-
onmental impact of a broiler flock growth.
It includes the averaged laws of responses
of INAVI and it proposes emissions predic-
tions according to the flock environment
(indoor, outdoor, management). Another
Poultry business models
Poultry production generally ends up adopt-
ing vertically integrated systems. To aid in
decision making, planning and program-
ming of multiple activities and resources in
each sector of these complex integrated sys-
tems, several information technology com-
panies have developed specific software.
This software describes and quantifies the
complex relationships in enterprise systems.
Consequently, by definition these tools should
be also considered as models of production
systems.
This new generation of business models
enables managers to assess the direct im-
pact of traditional operating variables such
as FCR, flock density, strain, diet formula-
tion and many others on bottom-line busi-
ness objectives and determine the optimal
values of various operating parameters which
will maximize the objectives of the integrated
system. In order to succeed in the most
common volatile and competitive markets,
it is critical that poultry companies focus
on bottom-line business objectives, which
maximize measures such as profitability,
