Electronic spreadsheets design to establish amino acids requirements for birds using a mechanistic and stochastic approach

Abstract

Models used to predict animal nutritional requirements are generally classified as empirical or mechanistic, deterministic or stochastic and static or dynamic. The application of mechanistic models allows representing biological phenomena more accurately. Stochastic models takes into account the variations, which are inherent in the system, being more realistic compared with dynamic models. In order to become easier the prediction of the efficiency of amino acid utilization and the amino acid requirements of broilers and laying hens, we propose the development of spreadsheet based on mechanistic and stochastic models. In the current project (nº 2013/25761-4), dose-response experiments were conducted to determine the requirement of lysine, methionine, threonine, valine, tryptophan and isoleucine for broilers and laying hens. The collected data will be used to develop mechanistic models, which in turn will be available in an electronic spreadsheet. For broilers, the post-doctoral student will develop a methodology to generate a random population based on the existing variation on bird genotype, and sequentially the student will develop models, which predict the efficiency of utilization, as well as the requirements of the aforementioned amino acids. Once the model consider individual variations it is classified as stochastic, and due to fact that the requirements will be estimated by factorial models, which divide the requirements for maintenance and protein accretion, the model is also considered mechanistic. Regarding the laying hens, the student will define the optimum biological and economic ingestion of the amino acids using the Reading model, which is classified as mechanistic and stochastic. Given this background, this proposal aims developing two electronic spreadsheets in which the technical above described will be applied. The spreadsheets will be available as well as the other products developed in the project (nº 2013/25761-4).