1

BroilerOpt Feed Optimization Program

by

Feed2Gain, LLC

PURPOSE OF BroilerOpt Program:

Profitability of live broiler chicken production is largely a function of selecting the best

nutritional prescription for growth under the conditions and costs experienced at each production

unit. The Management team modifies the nutritional content and amount of each feed attempting

to affect performance and so profitability. An intuitive selection of the optimal combination of

the diets is hardly possible due to the complexity of bird responses to dietary and environmental

factors, as well as to the multitude of interactions among these variables. BroilerOpt is an

advanced tool designed to assist the Nutritionist in this decision-making process. The purpose of

BroilerOpt is to give the Nutritionist Confidence in the decisions made in utilization of the

purchased ingredients to provide optimal nutrition for each production unit.

There are four major parts to BroilerOpt aimed at this Purpose.

1. Calibration of the model to the existing conditions of a grower operation. What is best

for any operation is based on current growth, current ingredient values and cost, and

company objective for the product. That makes each operation unique and the nutritional

needs of the animals unique in order to minimize cost, assure quality and optimize

profits.

2. Current Flock growth estimation with accuracy shows what will happen with diet

changes so that unexpected results are avoided. Small changes in feed weights, energy

and amino acid contents of feeds can be quickly considered.

3. Optimization of nutrition, assuring that the best nutrition is provided to the birds, given

your ingredient costs and environmental conditions. Genetics of broilers do not change

quickly, but ingredient costs do. When there are significant changes in ingredient cost

relationships, BroilerOpt can quickly realign the values to give “best cost” production,

including milling and delivery costs, carcass composition and feed conversion constants.

4. Flock Analysis provides Evaluation of the nutrition that you provide can be done with

the accurate prediction of growth with the actual inputs and the environment you have.

This takes into account variation in feed weights actually consumed by each flock. This

accuracy is essential to identify changes in calibration or possible inconsistencies in

performance. The complex wide variations from each feed are highlighted. This

Evaluation of flock performance can give early warnings on changes in ingredient quality

by diet and flock health with age, both of which can cause disruption to production and

costs.

2

Predicting Impact of Diet Changes:

BroilerOpt can evaluate a specific feeding program by using the “Current Calculation” tab. The

program predicts the growth of a flock; field feed conversion and flock age to final weight within

a fraction of a day of age after calibration. Rather than follow the “current wisdom” rumored

about the industry, the Nutritionist makes decisions based on actual ingredient costs and actual

historical production and environmental conditions.

To achieve this accuracy, the program uses a model of broiler growth that allows the user to

calibrate the program to his/her own growth experience using his/her own diet contents and

actual commercial outcomes of average flock weight and age. The program indicates how

closely it has fit the given inputs by showing the feed conversion of the final fit when growth is

calculated to the expected live weight and age.

Feeding Program Optimization:

Once the program has been calibrated with actual commercial experience and current ingredient

costs are entered, BroilerOpt can determine the best rations with optimal nutrient density, and

develops a feeding schedule for growing birds controlling the factors that contribute most to

improved profits.

Unless specifically asked to evaluate the amino acids, BroilerOpt generates diets using user-

assigned protein and amino acid needs. When you run BroilerOpt with your assigned protein

and amino acid specifications, BroilerOpt scales your amino acid percentages according to the

specified or optimized energy concentrations. During Current Flock evaluations and during

Optimization, the program can evaluate amino acid profiles that give best cost growth given the

ingredients and costs of the complex.

Flock Evaluation:

While BroilerOpt considers a multitude of factors that affect grow out performance, no models

currently account for all sources of variation. Environmental factors beyond temperature, such

as rearing management conditions, sanitation, and disease, can result in performance better or,

more typically, poorer than predictions.

The Flock Evaluation feature of BroilerOpt separates one of the major sources of variation in

flock weight and performance; diet feed weights; from the rest. The program attributes any

complex-wide variation to the feed given during the time that the variation occurs. Variation that

occurs on a house by house level is attributed to that house. This allows identifying short falls in

ingredients that are given in specific diets (or introduced into feeds at a given time) and better

identification of grower performance.

3

History and Basic Concepts in BroilerOpt:

A number of outstanding scientists have worked on modeling of animal growth. The earliest

reports go back to the 19th

century. Another former Monsanto Co. employee wrote an excellent

book titled “A Theory of Feeding and Growth of Animals” ( Springer Verlag, Berlin, 322 pp.,

1982).

The first model I developed was in 1988 called the Ivey Growth Model™ (IGM™) while with

Monsanto Co. and it was influenced by The Edenburgh Growth Model as explained so well by

Prof. G. Emmans and work by Dr. G. Pesti, University of Georgia. Many of the concepts in

BroilerOpt were first developed in that model.1

The broiler growth model used in BroilerOpt is largely based on the concepts and results gained

from developing OmniPro™ while at Novus International. In turn, that model was based on

equations developed by Drs. Shmuel Hurwitz and Hovav Talpaz, while at the Agricultural

Research Organization of Israel. Dr. Hurwitz’ equations were far superior to others I had seen in

accuracy and experimental verification.

There are published references evaluating the Omnipro Growth Model. Below are the

references. BroilerOpt has the same growth predictive equation set as OmniPro.

Oviedo-Rondón E.O. , C.A. Fritts and P.W. Waldroup, 2003. Accuracy of OmniPro ™ II predictions for amino acid needs without minimum crude protein requirement. International Journal of Poultry Science 2 (3): 178-182.

Oviedo-Rondón E.O. and P. W. Waldroup, 2002. Models to estimate amino acid requirements for broiler chickens: A Review. International Journal of Poultry Science 1(5): 106-113.

Oviedo-Rondón E.O. , C. A. Fritts and P. W. Waldroup, 2002. Accuracy of Omnipro ™ II estimations for amino acid requirements of broilers. International Journal of Poultry Science 1 (5): 119-126.

Some concepts that are important in the program are these:

1. A unique feeding program includes the diet contents and the amount of each feed.

Knowing the dietary restrictions of formulation are not enough and just knowing what the

content of the feeds being given is not sufficient to accurately describe the nutrition given

an animal. The dietary regime includes feed weights.

2. The nutrient specifications and content of the diet that the model uses to predict growth

are Energy, Protein and up to 12 Amino Acids. These inputs have to be in a certain order

as the first 14 nutrients. Energy has to be the first nutrient that the program sees. Protein

is second followed by up to 12 amino acids. This order is critical to the growth

predictions of the modeling part of the program.

1 Ivey Growth Model, IGM and OmniPro are trademarks of Novus International, Inc.

4

3. One does not need to have all 12 amino acids to run the model. The model assumes that

any amino acid with a zero value is not restricting growth. If the user typically uses only

four or five amino acids for least costing their diets, then those four or five amino acids

should have values and any amino acids that are not fully valued in the matrix should be

set to zero in all ingredients.

4. One point that is often overlooked in feed evaluations is that the genetic growth of the

bird, the part that is captured in calibration, does not change quickly. Ingredient costs are

the major factor impacting the change in optimal feed density and cost of growth. If feed

ingredient costs are not changing quickly, the optimal point to feed will not change.

5. The program includes a least cost feeding program that expects the user to put in

minimum and maximum levels of energy and protein (and therefore amino acids). There

is no point in seeing optimum feeding regimes that are not going to be fed. Looking

outside the range of energy and protein where one has a comfort level may be useful, but

having a result that has diets that are acceptable to the Nutritionist is the real goal.

Running the model and finding no better solution than the one is use is a great outcome

as the Nutritionist knows that the current practice is the best that can be done within the

levels of energy and protein that can practically be used in that location.

6. For the moment, the model determines the energy input and assumes that diet energy

values above 2000 are kcal per kg and, therefore, weight is in kg. Values of energy

below 2000 are assumed to be kcal per lb and, therefore, weight is in lbs. This will be

changed to a selection process as some people are using MCal per lb or MCal per kg, and

MJ per kg. It would be impossible to numerically determine the difference between MJ

per kg and MCal per kg or per lb. So, this will change. Also, the price per unit weight of

feed is currently price per kg or price per lb. That will be selectable, as well.

7. A detail is that when the least cost program is run in the Current flock tab, the nutrient

contents determined by the least cost program are stored in the grid. Also, the feed

weights used are stored in the grid. The last diet floats to complete the growth of the

broiler flock to the designated weight. That is to say, the first, second, etc. weights are

used exactly as given, even resulting in blended feeds on some days, and the last diet will

be increased or decreased to get the exact weight. If the target weight is attained before

the last diet would have been fed, then that diet is given a value of zero and the actual

weights of the other

diets is recorded.

Initial Use: The program always opens to

the “Current Flock” Tab.

There are eight “Menu” items,

Files, Load Least Cost, Set

Values, Carcass, Daily, Flock

Definition, Diet Dilution and

Help. These are highlighted

5

with a red circle below. One clicks on the Word and a list of alternatives drops down or a

window opens for action.

There are four Tabs, Calibration of Complex, Current Flock, Optimization and Flock Analysis.

Current Flock is highlighted with a yellow circle below. Clicking on the tabs changes the

information on the form and each is a significant part of the overall program. These are

described in detail later.

Initial Calculations: Once the program is installed, the

user can create a new “complex”.

First, enter or import the nutrient

contents of the diets currently being

fed, the amounts of each feed, and

adjust the temperature, if desired

(click on Show Temperature box

near the top on the right). Then,

calculate the expected growth for a

flock of chickens by clicking on the

button called “Current Calculation”

which returns the value of broiler

growth and feed conversion expected from the feeding program.

The minimum information for running the current calculations are feed cost, feed weight, energy,

protein and the amino acids used by the program. If you do not track an amino acid, such as

leucine for example, then you assume it is not limiting in your diets and so does the model.

Enter “0” for any amino acid level or restriction and the program assumes that it is not limiting.

“Current Flock” Features

There are a lot of features that allow easy use of the program. We will tour some of the features

on the Current Flock Tab.

“Open Diets” allows access

to stored diet files or

importing data from the Brill

Program or excel files or text

files. The window opens

with the diets associated with

the current complex loaded.

You can transfer those diets

by entering the number in the

first column of the diet order.

1 is the first diet fed, 2 is

second, etc. You can load the

same diet multiple times.

6

This could allow altering the medication program or allow starting with the same diet and

looking for better protein to energy ratios, etc.

“Save Diets” button does just that. Any changes that are made to a diet during evaluation are

not saved to file UNLESS you click on Save Diets. The program uses two files, one for nutrients

in the diet, the other for restrictions used in least cost programming. The program allows you to

rename the files as you save them, providing the opportunity to create new stored diets without

losing the old ones.

Clicking the “Save All Current” button saves any changes made to the ingredient matrix,

ingredient costs, target weights or ages. Again, during a session, no entered changes are

saved beyond that session unless saved with “Save Diets” and “Save All Current”.

The “Current Calc.” button is not active until diets are selected and your target is set. “Current

Calc” uses all the nutritional information to predict the growth expected for the flock to your

target. The “Growth Target” is set on the bottom left of the form. Click on that box and the list

of possible targets, Live Weight, Age and Feed Intake, are displayed. The program uses the feed

information given to predict growth to the target Live Weight or target Flock Age of the flock,

adjusting the weight fed of the last feed. If the target is to use the Feed Intake given, then the

program reports the weight and age of the flock when the feed is consumed.

Using “Current Calc” without Least Cost Programming

The program does not need to run a least cost linear program to predict growth, but it is usually

the choice as this allows cost

optimization. However, the box to the

right of the Flock Feed Conversion

box allows you to select “LP COST”

or “GIVEN COST”. Using “Given

Cost” allows running the growth

prediction without setting up a matrix

or diet specifications. This box usually

is set to LP COST, but if you transfer

the calibration diets (useful to test the

calibration), since those diets do not

have least cost restrictions associated

with them, the box always changes to

“GIVEN COST”.

“Current Calc” Information with a Double Click

Once “Current Calc” has been run, there is a lot of information that can be seen with just clicking

twice on the main screen. For example, double click (quickly click the mouse twice) on the

Flock Feed Conversion Box and a message will give you the Energy used to produce a unit

weight (lb or kg, your choice) and the cost per energy unit. Double click on Cost/Bird value and

the cost of feed and the cost of feed milling and hauling are shown. (Cost for milling and

hauling is set using the Menu “Set Values”). Double click on the Feed Weight Value for a feed

in the grid and the day of change is shown.

7

Accessing Least Cost Information Directly on the Current Flock Form

To make accessing and changing least cost restrictions easy, double click on any nutrient value

(for example Starter Arginine value 1.490) and the underlying minimum and maximum values

used for least cost evaluation are shown (below). Any typed change of value will become a new

minimum for least cost.

When the “Current Calc” is run with least cost

evaluation of the feed, the resulting nutrients in

the diet are displayed on the left hand grid and the

resulting formulas shown on the right grid. The

split between the grids can be moved to make

viewing the grid of interest easier.

Evaluating Changes in Formulation

Below the ingredient weights in the formula grid

is a phrase “Dbl Click to edit”. If you double

click on that three check boxes appear. First,

click on “Allow Editing”. This allows you to

make changes in ingredients weights. Clicking on

Recalculate Nutrients causes the program to use

your matrix values to recalculate the Nutrients in the feed with the changes in ingredient weights.

Lastly, clicking on the “Copy

Ing. To Diet Window” causes

the new nutrients to move to

the Diet Nutrient Grid, sets

the program to use “GIVEN

COST” and “Current Calc”

can be run to see what the

effect on the flock would be

of the change in formulation.

You can get back to your

more normal method by

changing the “GIVEN

COST” to “LP COST”, click

on Current Calc. and get back

to the least cost solution.

Show Ingredient Info

Click on “Show Ingredient

Info” and a window opens that

allows editing ingredient

names, nutrient content, costs

and their restrictions by diet.

Click on “View ING Restrict.”

to move the grid over to the

restrictions on the far right.

8

The restrictions look like the screen

below this one. The ingredients with

restrictions are highlighted in pink.

Make changes here and click “Save

Changes”.

Again, to save changes for this session,

click Save Changes and close the

window. To save the matrix changes

permanently, click on “Save All” on the

“Current Flock” tab.

Show Nutrient Specs Similar to Ingredients, clicking on “Nutrient Specs” opens a window that allows changing any

nutrient restriction. Save before closing to save changes in

this session. Click “Save Diets” to make a permanent

record of the changes.

Protein and Amino Acids

The program evaluates the impact of protein and amino

acids separately, in large degree. However, many people

use set protein to amino acid ratios. The model

accommodates this by expecting to change amino acids in

constant ratio to protein. One can change the minimum

restriction of any amino acid by just entering the value on

the grid. However, if the circled checkbox is checked,

changing protein will change all amino acids that have a minimum restriction. However, if the

checkbox is not checked, any change in protein restriction will be independent of the amino

acids.

Amino Acid Suggestions by Diet

While on the Current Flock tab, the program can

optimize your amino acids to your energy and

protein. To do this, double click on the Diet

Type of your choice (below, we chose Starter).

The offer is made, click yes. The offer box

disappears and a solution box (lower box)

returns with the cost information and the values

found to be best. You can choose to use these

values or not, at this point.

9

View Report Shows Current

Report

This button opens a window

with a report that shows the

changes that have been made

and outcomes. Here the

program ran and then the

energy in Diet 1 was changed

to 3100. This caused the cost

to go up and time to finish to

be slightly decreased. One

can add comments, copy to

another program and clear itself to start over.

This is an effective way to record changes and impact on cost. The report can be printed.

Keep Track Shows Current Initial and Two other outcomes in Tables.

Another, more

complete way to

track changes is the

Keep Track Screen.

This window keeps

track of the

nutrients,

ingredients, growth,

costs and carcass

composition of each

run. It keeps the

initial, and the

current and two

previous changes.

Run LP

This button does what it says. It does not call the growth calculation but only runs the Least Cost

Program to get a new cost and nutrient content of the diets.

Flock Size Box

The value in the Flock Size Box is only used to calculate the total amount of each ingredient

needed (shown on far right of the feed formula grid). Put the number of birds that will be fed in

the Flock Size box, press “Current Calc.”, move the Formulas grid to the right and you will find

this Total Wt. Tonnes, when using kg or grams, Tons if in lbs. Not something that everyone

needs, but simple computation for your computer (Picture next page).

10

Show Temperature

Temperature is an important factor in growth and feed consumption. In modeling, my

experience is that there is hot weather and not hot weather. However, temperature impacts are

built into the model and to access them, one changes temperature on a weekly basis, and the

model considers that in making the growth assessment.

Temperature is also input for calibration. Again, unless there was some unusual temperature

during the period of data collection for calibration, the standard temperature profile can generally

be used. However, temperature has a big impact on growth and should not be casually ignored.

Calibration Tab

When you have entered your current diets onto the Diet Screen, you can start calibrating your

complex. Go to the Calibration of Complex tab, transfer the diets from current to the calibration

grid by clicking on the option button on the bottom left of the form labeled “Select Diets from

Current Diets”. The diets currently in the diets form are displayed and can be selected. These

diets can be edited, that is to say any nutrient or feed weight or feed cost can be changed and

then used. Least cost programming is not used in this process.

11

Enter a name for your complex. If the name is already in use, the program will prompt you on

whether to overwrite that complex or not. When you leave the name box, a screen will pop up

prompting you to define the units used in this complex (below). You can use pounds, kilograms

or grams for all weight units, Kcals, Mcals with lbs or kgs or MJ per kg for energy. Feed cost

can be tracked in any currency and in lbs, hundred weight, tons, kgs or tonnes. Breed is selected

for males and females. This information is used to determine the appropriate growth curve to

use during calibration. There are breeds that grow faster earlier and some that grow more slowly

early. This affects the nutritional requirements for growth and selecting the proper breed can be

of significant value. Also, some breeds have greater breast yield and that is included in the

program.

Select the amino acid availability with the dropdown box on the right top of the form. It will be

either “Total” or “Available”. Since the matrix values of ingredients are not usually kept for

both, select one and DO

NOT CHANGE IT unless

using a new matrix.

All of these can be revisited

using the Menu topic,“Set

Values” . It brings up the

same screen.

The data needed for

calibration are the flock sex,

average flock weight, flock

feed conversion and the

average days in the field that

have been needed to get to that weight. The diet information includes the amount of feed per

bird for each feed, the energy, protein and amino acid content of the feeds.

When all of that is entered, click on “Run Calibration”. The program runs and returns with a

“Computed Feed Conversion” value. That value indicates that the calibration is completed and

suggests how closely the calibration fit the data. If the computed feed conversion is more than a

12

point (0.01) or more from the given feed conversion, there may be a problem in the calibration

data. Look particularly at the amino acid declaration of available and total. Putting in the wrong

choice would cause some error in calibration.

Calibration Temperature

The grid on the right of the form allows for entering temperature. Most people do not do this, as

it seems confusing. Often, one does not know what temperature to use. The temperature inside

the house varies daily and usually people only deal with this when there is a major change

expected, or when explaining the impact of a temperature upset.

Usually there is only the difference between hot and not hot. However, weekly average

temperatures will improve the fit of the model when temperatures are changing. The model will

determine the temperature automatically as there should always be a good difference between

acceptable temperatures for birds in C and F.

Select a new Complex Name and type it into the text box. Select the flock sex. Enter the

average flock weight feed conversion, and flock age. Once those values are in place, the Run

Calibration Button is active. Press that button and the model determines a new calibration for

the new location. The program has done the calibration when a value appears in the “Computed

Feed Conversion” box on the lower left of the form. That value should be close but may not be

exactly the same as that given as input. If the value is really off by 3 or more points, the

calibration was not successful.

When the calibration is complete, the model reports in a small window how well the data were

fit. Now, a “Save Calibration” button appears at the bottom middle of the form. Click this and

then click the “save calibration diets” button near the top center of the form. All data are now

saved and the Complex will be available on the “Current Flock” form.

DATA TRANSFER OR IMPORT:

Diets:

One can currently import data for current diets and, on the least cost form, diet restrictions from

the clipboard. The excel file included in the install show the format needed. The next version

will include the upload from Brill. Adding the ability to import ingredient values from the

clipboard can also be added.

The data are put in rows and, for the diets, cost, feed weight and only the first 14 nutrients are

used. No text is copied. Part of a set of diets are shown below.

Diet Type Cost Feed Wt ENERGY PROTEIN ARGININE HISTIDINE LYSINE

Starter 188 0.55 3050 23.23 1.755 0.619 1.501

Grower 175 1.3 3200 21.43 1.63 0.578 1.395

Finisher 153 3.105 3250 18.96 1.441 0.511 1.234

Withdrawl 144 3 3280 17.4 1.297 0.4599 1.1106

Withdrawl2 140 3 3280 16.53 1.232 0.437 1.055

Starter2 178 0.75 3200 20.91 1.58 0.557 1.35

Grower2 174 0.45 3240 19.28 1.467 0.52 1.255

13

You will see what you get on the table where the data are copied. If the data are not correct,

copy the data again, adjusting what was copied so that the data fit correctly into the program

table.

Importing Diet Restrictions, one diet at a time:

All nutrients are used in importing the nutrient restrictions. Again, no text, and a value is given

for each nutrient, even zeros, as shown below. Two rows are copied, the min and max values.

Part of the set of nutrient restrictions for a diet are shown below.

Again, you will see what you get on the table where the data are copied. If the data are not

correct, copy the data again, adjusting what was copied so that the data fit correctly into the

program table.

ENERGY PROTEIN ARGININE HIST LYSINE TRYPT PHE + TYROSINE PHENYLAL

MET + CYS METH

MIN 3050 23.23 1.28 0 1.178 0.198 0 0 0.93 0.518

MAX 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Importing Matrix Information:

Can be done from an excel spreadsheet, text copied to the clipboard or from the Brill Program.

Excel Spreadsheet

Matrix values can be imported from an excel file, if you have excel on your computer. Click on

the “Menu” item “Load Least Cost”. Click on “Import from Excel”. A window will open that

allows you to select an excel file. A demonstration file called “ComplexKG.xls” is included, as

an example.

First, have your nutrients lined up in the order that is required for the first 15 (cost, energy,

protein, and the twelve amino acids (zeros are acceptable for any amino acid that you do not use

in your least cost program). Then, order the rest of the nutrients in the order that you want to see

them in a report.

The nutrient order will be

expected to be the same as

used when nutrient

restrictions and nutrient

contents are imported

(above).

Next, order the ingredients

the same way. Any that you

like to see on top should be

first in order. This is the

order that the program will

display them later.

14

Now, click on the excel file that contains your matrix values. This opens a window that displays

a grid and a dropdown box with the names of the “sheets” in the excel file, circled in red below.

Click on the one containing the matrix data.

The top row contains the “Fixed Order Nutrients”. These are cost, energy, protein and the 12

amino acids. After that, the order is your choice. If you do not have values for an amino acid,

like histidine, just enter zeros for it. You must have amino acid values for all ingredients that

have them for the amino acids that are used in the least cost program.

If the ingredients are not in the order that you want displayed, change the number in the left-most

column and click on “Sort by column 1” above on the right. When everything is sorted

correctly, click on “Save Matrix”. You will be given a chance to choose a file name where the

matrix values will be saved.

From the Clipboard

Similar to the transfer from Excel, the input must be ordered in the same way. The ingredient

names, cost, energy, protein, etc. are all on one line and in the order set by the program for the

first 14 nutrients (so the model can find them). The data are set up in complexkg.xls in the

proper order.

Click on “Load Least Cost” on the menu line, then “Import Matrix from Clipboard”.

A window will open that asks for the number of ingredients and the number of nutrients (do not

count cost as a nutrient).

Copy the data to the clipboard (a control-C or paste in the program which is holding the data),

then indicate the character that separates the data (comma, semicolon, etc) and then click “import

from memory”. The diet window opens and shows the imported ingredients, nutrient names and

values. When you are satisfied that the transfer was correct, close the diet window and click on

“Save Current” button on the main window.

Importing One Ingredient or Costs from Clipboard

When importing a single ingredient, one can add an ingredient to a current matrix or replace an

ingredient. Either way, the process is the same. The command is on the menu line, under “Load

Least Cost” – “Import from Clipboard”.

When importing to replace an ingredient, you will be prompted for the number of the ingredient

to be replaced. The name of the existing ingredient will be shown to help assure that you have it.

The name shall be first, cost shall be second, and the energy, protein and amino acids next and

other nutrients after that, exactly as shown in the matrix file of complexkg.xls.

The costs must be in the order that the ingredients are in the matrix, so all costs must be updated

at the same time. The numbers should be on one line separated by a single character, like a

comma, semicolon, even a single letter. Always copy the data from your other program and then

click on “import from memory”. The program will open the diet window and show the

imported costs.

15

Importing from Brill Formulation

Once the Brill transfer is set up, the

transfer can be done in a click of a button.

Updating the matrix, ingredient costs, diet

contents and restrictions can be done all at

once or individually.

Setting up the transfer can take a few

minutes but is well worth the effort.

There are two ways of getting started.

Click on “Load Brill Matrix” or go to the

menu “Load Least Cost” and select

“Import from

Brill”. A window will open (below) and

one can choose the task desired. The first time,

run the Set Up selection and, until you want to

change the ingredients or nutrients selected, the

other checks will be all that is needed.

You must identify the nutrients in the Brill

Formulation Program that correspond with the

Model’s first 14 nutrients (Energy, Protein and

amino acids). If you do not use an amino acid,

leave that blank. A value of zero is considered

non-limiting. When making the nutrient

selections, you can save the selection on the

“Brill Side” of the program and recall your

decisions and alter these more easily later.

Next, sort the nutrients until they

match the nutrients listed on the

window. Energy, protein and the

amino acids must match and then the

rest that you use should be in the order

that you want to view them. See the

picture below. Your sort order will be

saved and even doing the

“preparation” for importing will be

easier the second time because you

only have to make the changes you

want, not completely reorder the input.

Lastly, click on the “Save to file”

button. Then repeat the process for

ingredients. Sort the ingredients in the

16

order that you want to see them. Your sort order will be saved and even doing the “preparation”

for importing will be easier the second time.

When you have saved both nutrients and ingredients, close the window and you can go back to

the “Load Brill Data” button. Choose matrix values and costs to import and the program will

read them directly. Choose diet nutrients or restrictions and the program will ask which diets are

desired, using the “Brill” side to show you the ingredients and let you check the ones you want.

When done with the diet import, the program opens the diet window and allows you to add feed

cost and feed weight to complete the description of the diets. You can leave feed cost blank if

you will use the least cost program to generate the cost later.

Optimization – Cost Minimization

Determining the best cost nutritional program starts here. The program uses the flock sex for the

location, the ingredient cost and restrictions and nutritional specifications that have been input

from the “Current Flock” Tab. The rest of the inputs are here. Set the flock target weight, enter

or transfer the current diet specifications from the current tab (button on left). Select the

minimum and maximum values that are acceptable for each diet (feed weight, energy and protein

– the amino acids move up and down in ratio with the protein).

Once you have set up the minimums and maximums, you can save these by clicking the “Save

Opt Input File” button on the left below “Transfer Diets”. To open this file and not have to enter

all the mins and maxes again, click on “Open Opt Files” button in that same cluster.

If you do not want to allow a change in a value for a diet or all the parameters for a diet, just

“unclick” the box in the column under Optimize and that value will not be altered. For example,

if you do not want to change a successful starter diet, just click on the boxes in the column under

“Optimize”, and the best cost solution using that starter diet will be found by the program when

you click the “Run Optimization” button.

Once the current, minimum and maximum values have been set, click on “Run Optimization”.

Some time is required for a solution, but the program returns and first saves the optimum report

to file.

BroilerOpt

automatically names the

file for the Complex

and the month of

optimization. If that

file exists, it will ask if

you want to replace it.

It then shows you the

name and allows you to

keep or change it .

17

Click ok when the name is correct and the program displays the outcome. The saved file can be

printed later for comparisons as prices change across time.

The Optimization report

has several features.

First, it shows the

minimum cost program

to achieve the growth

desired. It shows the

optimum, initial and the

limits and the optimum

LP Restriction for

energy and protein. On

the lower area of the

grid, it compares the

optimum cost per bird

to the initial cost,

feed2gain values and

age. Then, on the right

side of the grid, the

report shows the impact of a single change. That is to say that the value of just changing third

diet’s energy was the largest cost reduction from making a single change (cost going to 0.747

from 0.7523). This was not the optimum when all the inputs were allowed, but changing the

third diet energy value was the

most sensitive change. You can

look at the changes in nutrient

restrictions that the model made by

clicking on the second tab

(Nutrient Restrict.). The ingredient

restrictions are not changed but can

be seen on the third tab. The

fourth tab shows the ingredients by

percent in the final formulations.

One can look at the impact of the

optimization on carcass

composition by clicking on the

Menu Heading “Carcass

Composition”. That opens a

window that contains the carcass

composition predicted for the

Optimized Feeding Program.

Changing tab to “Current

Calculation” shows the same

values the feeding program last run

in Current Flock. The “Current by Age” tab shows the carcass composition of the feeding

program last run in Current Flock over the last 10 days.

18

Optimizing Amino Acids

There are three factors that

can be optimized along

with cost. First is “amino

acids”. The program

maintains your amino acid

to protein ratio unless you

select “Optimize amino

acids”. This option then

determines the best cost

protein and amino acid

levels as independent

variables. The

optimization is longer and

usually results in a lower

cost than optimization

without amino acid

evaluation. The

changes in amino acids

are shown in “Nutrient

Restrict.” Tab of the

Report window.

Optimizing for Feed

Efficiency

The second option to

optimize is feed

conversion, third is

carcass composition. In

our example above, the

costs were lowered from 0.7523 to 0.7389 but the feed conversion was pushed up from 1.849 to

1.973. If we think that

between shipping costs,

milling costs and pressure

from the management, this is

too much to give up, we can

set a target feed conversion

and see what that would cost.

Click on the box and the

Feed2Gain Target Window

will open. Here, since the

initial feed conversion was

almost 1.85, the target is set

to 1.85 or lower if cost

19

effective (this is unlikely but there is no harm in looking).

Now, click on the “Run Optimization” Button and the program searches for the best cost at or

below that target feed conversion. The cost savings are still good, but not as good as the open

optimization.

Feed costs were again reduced from the initial 0.7523 to 0.7493 per bird and the feed conversion

was preserved at 1.85. Obviously, the solution is quite different from the lower cost, higher feed

to gain solution. Note, too, that the individual changes, in the right columns, showed almost no

improvement with any single change. This is because most changes would result in poorer feed

conversion.

Carcass Optimization

In a similar manner to

optimizing with feed conversion

as a target, one can set a value

to breast meat in the model and

use that value to offset some

feed cost. The larger the

“value” that is set, the more

impact the model puts on breast

yield and less attention to cost

savings.

The model asks for a valuation of the breast meat and then gives some guidance on the probable

impact on the optimization. A value of 0.1 would be a small impact, this value should give a

bigger impact. The diet program in the

“Current Flock” tab gave the left hand

carcass composition, below. The

lowest cost optimization gave a total

weight of breast and skin of 0.455 kg.,

and 0.285 kg. breast muscle (above,

pg. 17). Below on the right are the

outcomes for cost/bird and feed

conversion for the new optimum,

weighting breast yield. Cost savings

are still dramatic (0.7450 per bird from

0.7523 but not very close to the low of

0.7389 of the unconstrained optimum).

Look at the expected improvement in

breast muscle. The breast muscle

weight has still decreased from 0.290

to 0.288 kg. per bird, up from the

0.285 above.

20

Below is the carcass composition

outcome for the fixed feed

conversion problem that we did

earlier. This is interesting as we

have four outcomes that show the

cost of changing carcass

composition. The initial feed

program was first with costs of

0.7523 and breast muscle weight of

0.290. The second was the

problem with constrained feed

conversion, with expected cost of

0.7493 per bird with the same

breast weight of 0.290. Then, two

lower cost outcomes, the “breast

yield factored” outcome where

breast yield was given a value of about 60 percent of the feed cost but while costs were dropped,

the breast yield was reduced (0.7450 cost and 0.288 breast weight) and the unconstrained

minimum cost of 0.7389 and 0.285

kg breast muscle (below right ).

It has never been this easy to explain

the cost of improving yield than this.

And never easier to lead the

company to a decision about what is

more important. When reasonably

accurate values can be placed on

alternatives, decisions can be

reached faster and with less

acrimony.

Transferring Optimal Outcomes to Current Flock

The program allows transferring the dietary restrictions found during optimization to the Current

Flock tab by just clicking on the button at the bottom right of the window labeled “Transfer Opt

to Current”. This allows you to make further changes in the restrictions and see the impact on

feed efficiency, carcass composition and cost while you evolve to a solution that meets your

needs for growth, cost and security.

21

Saving Optimum Diets to File for Later Use:

The bottom button on the right of the Optimization Tab lets you save the diets (nutrients and

restrictions) to file so that you can use these later from the Current Flock Tab. Click on the

button “Save Optimum Diets” and choose a name.

Later, you can click on the “Open Diets” button while on the Current Flock Tab. Select the

middle button on the right “Open Other Feed Files” and then select the name that you gave the

Optimum Diets when you saved them. This brings up the nutrients and nutrient and ingredient

restrictions that were used to create the optimum diets. This allows evaluating this optimum with

what ever changes are of interest to you as in the “Transferring” option above.

Strategies for an Initial Solution: Low Risk, Measurable and Useful

When starting to use BroilerOpt, a user usually wants to find a change that is measurable and

useful (saves money) but is low in risk. Measurable things usually include feed conversion

changes of 3 points or more (almost always best if to lower feed conversion, such as moving

from 1.85 to 1.81 or 1.82).

The first thing most people do, however, is open the optimizer limits and look for the maximum

savings. This is a good thing. Think of the wide open optimum as a floor cost. It may be risky,

it may be uncomfortable but it would be useful.

The second thing one should do is consider what changes would be measurable, useful and low

risk. Often people look for changes in only one diet. These questions can be asked of the model

1. What is the single change (low risk) that I can make to provide a useful solution?

2. What is the maximum cost-savings that I can get if I change only one diet?

3. What is the most cost-savings I can find if I keep the same feed conversion?

These are really good first questions. Using the “ComplexKG” data set provided with the model,

here are some answers.

1. Single Change: The model provides a list of single

changes on the optimization report. It searches the

range for each individual variable (energy protein and

feed intake) for the best (lowest cost) point. That is

reported on the right hand side of the report, under the

heading “Value of Single Change” (below is a copy

of a solution that was given earlier.) This is a great

way to see where the most impact

can be found. Here, the energy content of the third

diet had the most impact on cost. It would be useful

to look at the impact of feeding the lower energy.

One can go back to the “Current Flock” tab and

reduce the energy in that diet and look at a few other

changes to look for cost savings with minimum

change to your current diets.

22

2. Feed Conversion for cost trade off: We have seen that the feed conversion has been

increased with almost every effort to save money. We got only a reduction from 0.7523

to 0.7493 when we held feed conversion to 1.85. There would be no problem with

knowing what the cost would be of holding the feed conversion to 1.90, for example.

Minimum cost calculates to 0.7447. At feed2gain of 1.973, the cost was 0.7389. So, per

million birds, the program finds about $3,000 with no feed conversion change, the first

five points save another $4,600, the last 7 points saves about $5,800. At last we have a

basis for cost savings of feed conversion. Now, consider milling and delivery cost and

the decision is much easier.

3. Change just the last diet: We can look to see what

the savings are if we change only one diet. We can

look at each diet to decide or we can look at which

diet gets a benefit to the slaughter plant soonest.

Almost always, the last diet is the place to look. By

clicking on the boxes by each variable, we can

“uncheck” the first six to stop the program from

considering changes in these variables. The

solution, in this case is a cost of $0.7472 from the

original 0.7523. The feed conversion is expected to

be 1.92. Fixed at 1.90 feed2gain, the lowest cost

would go up to 0.7485. If we fixed the feed2gain at

1.85, there is no improvement in cost.

Allowing the change of just the protein in the first two

diets, along with optimizing the last diet, the cost drops to 0.7427, much closer to the lowest

cost of 0.7389.

Each person will develop a system for finding the best feeding program for their company,

their bird and their costs. These are the factors that cause the “Optimum feeding program to

change. If costs never changed, feeding animals would be much easier.

Menu Items Files

Clicking on the Files menu item gives a list of actions that can be taken.

Open a Complex: One can open

a Complex (change from the one

you have to one that may not be

on the list found on the Current

Flocks Tab).

Copy a Complex to New

Location: Copy the current

complex to create a new location

(usually done to set up a new

complex with the same matrix,

23

calibration can be done later).

Save: same as clicking on Save All on the Current Flock Tab.

Print: Allows printing the Current Calculation Report, a current or saved Optimization

Report or a complete Report containing the Matrix Values. A preview screen opens and

allows selection of printer and page layout.

Delete Complex: Allows removal of complexes from the List of Complexes that is on the

Current Flock Tab (does not erase files associated with the deleted complex).

Show Current Files: Displays a list of all files open and in use in the program (identifies

matrix file, diet files etc.). All files are in text form so they are easily read by other programs

(except the Optimization Min Max file).

Exit: Gets you out and closes everything.

Load Least Cost

Open Existing Mat File: Allows you to open a matrix file independent of the complex for

which it was developed.

Allows use of costs as

well as ingredient values

from another location

with the calibration of the

existing complex.

Open Restriction File:

Lets you retrieve just the

ingredient or nutrient

restrictions from another

dietary program. The

diets are stored in two

parts, the actual

calculated nutritional

content of the diet and the ingredient and nutrient restrictions used to formulate the diet.

Import from Brill: Opens a window that allows direct importing of ingredients, costs and

dietary specifications from the Brill system.

Import from Excel: Opens a window that allows direct import of ingredient information

from an Excel file that is laid out appropriately. Examples included with the program.

Import from OmniPro: For the truly hard core user, this allows import of data stored in an

OmniPro “Econ” file to import the information directly. You can import ingredient matrix

and costs, diet information and even calibration data although recalibration would be

required as the two programs are not identical.

Import from Clipboard: This allows you to import data from a text file into the program. If

the data are laid out appropriately (examples included with program), the data are read into

the program and can save time. Here, one can add a single ingredient or single nutrient

which can not be done with other import choices. Examples are included with the program

on how to lay out data to be imported.

Set Values

Energy, Amino Acids and Prices: Allows change to the values set during calibration for the

complex. These should be done with care.

24

Feed Milling and Hauling Cost: The costs that offset lower cost with higher feed

conversions are the cost of milling feed and hauling the feed to the birds. This menu item

allows you to add those costs

so that optimization will not

increase milling and delivery

expense to reduce feed costs.

You can choose the units.

They do not have to match the

feed cost units.

Carcass and Daily

These two Menu items get you to the same information window but with its tab set

differently. Clicking Carcass from the “Current Flock” tab opens the window to the Carcass

information for the most recent Current Calc. result, the circle on the left below. If you open

this from the Optimization

Tab (shown around page 26),

it opens with the Optimized

Values tab (second circle) on

top. One can click back and

forth to compare the carcass

content of the “Current Calc”

and Optimized solutions.

Current by age shows the live

weight and carcass

composition of males or

females or both if mixed sex

for the last 10 days of

growth. This allows an

insight into the size of

carcass parts if the flock were

collected earlier.

Clicking on Growth brings up the window with the “Daily Growth” Tab on top. It lists the

live weight, feed intake and cost for each day and by sex if a mixed sex flock. This could

help in assessing when females could be removed to accomplish a thinning type of operation

where females are removed for a lower body weight product. It is always useful to compare

costs even when the flock is strictly mixed sex.

25

Flock Definition There

are a number of situations

where Splitting or Thinning

flocks make good economic

sense. However, feeding to

minimize cost in such a

situation really becomes

impossible. Clicking on Flock

Definition allows the user to

define how the flock will be

collected. Splitting is

removing all the females at one

time (usually by sex separate

rearing on the same farm).

Thinning is when some

percentage of birds are

removed at set target weights or ages. The program can handle up to seven thinning events

and the final target weight. When Thinning or Splitting is chosen, a Red reminder is

displayed on the Calibration, Current Flock and Optimization Tabs. Calibration, Current

Flock calculations and Optimization can all be done with splitting and thinning on. This is

important as when you are splitting or thinning flocks, the Best Cost type of Program is most

useful.

When Thinning is on, there are a number of places that information is available. Double

clicking age gives you the flock ages when the birds are expected to achieve the target

weights (using the percentage males and females entered). Double clicking Flock Feed

Conversion lists the feed conversion by group and Feed Cost gives a window showing cost

per bird by group. Double clicking Live Weight shows a list of the target weights (not

shown).

Clicking on the “Keep Track” button on the bottom of the “Current Flock” tab shows the

normal “Keep Track” information but also includes the information by group of birds caught.

It reminds you that the flock is Thinned. Gives the first catch weight, age, feed2gain, cost

and then each successive group is listed. Changes in nutrition and cost are tracked as

changes are made on the “Current Flock” tab and “Current Calc” run.

26

Diet Dilution

In some situations, on-farm feeding

allows dilution of a feed with a locally

grown ingredient. Wheat is the great

example. This menu item allows you

to select an ingredient (by ingredient

no.). The program allows you to

increase or decrease the amount of

ingredient being added with time (see

below). The program will compute

the final nutrition delivered to the bird

each day and that impact on growth

and cost.

Because the diluting ingredient is

normally local, no feed milling or

delivery cost is added for that

ingredient. However, the ingredient MUST be in

the initial feed formulation if it is to be decreased with time, instead of increased. Looking at

Distillers grains in this way may be of commercial value. Shipping costs might not be

affected, but milling costs could be avoided and, if priced low enough, the outcome might be

of value. If one has no experience with dilution, remember that any medications or

vitamin/mineral packs are reduced with dilution which might have a negative effect not

picked up by the program.

Help

The last Menu item is help. It has Help which opens a searchable help program and About

which tells you about some of the people that added inspiration and more to the development

of the program and who has the license for the program and how long that will last. It also

reminds the user that successful use of the program is dependent on the quality of data input

to the program and the decisions made from the outputs. It also reminds the user that no

warranty, expressed or implied on accuracy of predictions can be made by Feed2Gain, LLC

or its partners.

Feed2Gain, LLC October, 2007