Generating growth alternatives
AssigneeAmerican Institute of Nutrition and Management
InventorsJinkui Liu, Fazal Wala, Harry E. Meek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is an apparatus and method for determining when a living animal reaches its optimum rate of growth. This information is then used to calculate the optimal parameters for achieving the maximum Return On Investment. The computer determines the optimal number of birds for a flock, type and amount of feed, length of time between hatching and sale to food processor, etc. The computer consists of a microprocessor, random access memory, a storage device, a keyboard, a computer screen, a printer, a math co-processor.
Claims50
A method of determining the optimum growth of an animal, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining a plurality of equations representing a growth rate and yield of edible tissue of the animal, wherein each of the equations identifies the growth rate and yield given genetic and nongenetic characteristics;
- (b) simultaneously solving the equations to optimize the growth rate and yield of the animal, thereby determining living factors of the non-genetic characteristics and optimized values;
- and
- (c) controlling the living factors of the non-genetic characteristics in accordance with the optimized values thereby optimizing the age at which the animal achieves an optimum rate of growth.
A method of raising a population of animals for slaughter according to a plurality of controllable factors, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) inputting data corresponding to the controllable factors;
- (b) generating a model that describes the growth rate of the population of animals given variables that corresponds to the controllable factors;
- (c) establishing values for the variables thereby defining the controllable factors;
- and
- (d) controlling the controllable factors as defined by the values for the variables so that the growth rate of the population of animals is optimized, wherein an aggregate mature weight of the population and expenditures required to raise the population substantially maximize the pre-tax net margin.
A computer apparatus for optimizing the rate of growth for an animal, the computer system comprising:
- (a) input means for inputting data;
- (b) a dataprocessor operatively connected to the input means, the dataprocessor including:
- i) generation means for generating a plurality of simultaneous equations and for generating a variable for each simultaneous equation, wherein each simultaneous equation defines the age at which the animal can experience its optimal rate of growth given a predetermined characteristic, further wherein each variable is defined by the predetermined characteristic;
- ii) solution means for solving the simultaneous equations;
- and
- iii) interface means for transferring growth-related information between the generation means and the solution means;
- (c) a random access memory arranged and configured to store the simultaneous equations and the variables for each characteristic;
- and
- (d) a storage medium arranged and configured to store the predetermined characteristic that optimizes the age at which the animal reaches its maximum rate of growth, wherein the predetermined characteristics substantially maximize the net margin realized from the population of animals.
An apparatus for optimizing the rate of growth for an animal, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) first processing means for generating a plurality of simultaneous equations, each equation defining the growth rate of the animal, the plurality of simultaneous equations for determining the optimal growth rate and yield of the animals given predetermined characteristics;
- (b) second processing means for generating a variable for each simultaneous equation, each variable defined by the predetermined characteristic;
- (c) third processing means for determining the predetermined characteristics that optimize the age at which the animal reaches its maximum rate of growth;
- and
- (d) storage means for storing the predetermined characteristics that optimizes the age at which the animal can reach its maximum rate of growth.
A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for determining the optimum growth of an animal so that the net margin of an enterprise that raises a population of the animals can be substantially maximized, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining a plurality of equations representing a growth rate and yield of edible tissue of the animal, wherein each of the equations identifies the growth rate and yield given non-genetic characteristics, the plurality of equations being simultaneously solvable in order to determine living factors of the non-genetic characteristics and optimized values, wherein controlling the living factors in accordance to the optimized values will optimize the age at which the animal achieves an optimum rate of growth;
- and
- (b) optimizing the ratio between expenditures required to control the living factors and the growth rate for the animal.
A computer program product, comprising:
- a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for determining the optimum growth of an animal so that the net margin of an enterprise that raises a population of the animals can be substantially maximized, the computer readable program code means comprising:
- computer readable program code for causing a computer to generate a plurality of simultaneous equations, each equation defining the growth rate of the animal, the plurality of simultaneous equations for determining the optimal growth rate and yield of the animals given predetermined characteristics;
- computer readable program code for causing a computer to generate a variable for each simultaneous equation, each variable defined by the predetermined characteristic;
- and
- computer readable program code for causing a computer to determine the predetermined characteristics that optimize the age at which the animal reaches its maximum rate of growth, wherein raising the population of animals according to the predetermined characteristics will substantially maximize the net margin of the enterprise.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.