Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 30, 1995
Publication Date: N/A
Technical Abstract:
The dairy forage system model (DAFOSYM) was developed as a research tool for evaluating and comparing alternative dairy farm systems over many weather years. The model simulates manure production, collection, storage, and application to corn and alfalfa land along with the growth, harvest, storage, and use of the feed crops. The integrated model provides a tool for determining the long-term performance and economics of various manure systems and their interaction with feed production. During the past few years, DAFOSYM has been distributed as a teaching aid that demonstrates the many interactions among dairy farm components. This DOS program uses overlaying menus to set farm parameters and graphics to display simulation results. A Windows version is now under development that provides many new features to enhance the use of the model. DAFOSYM is used by assigning parameters to describe a representative farm at a specified location. By simulating the farm with and without a change in a manure system component or other farm parameter, the user can determine the impact of the change on manure handling costs, fertilizer requirements, feed costs, and overall net return above feed and manure costs.
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