| A system model of a pasture-related beef production, entitled the Atlantic Pasture Based Beef Model (APBM), was developed and evaluated for Atlantic Canada. The model was used to examine the effects of calving season (winter or spring) and pasture type (naturalized or improved) on the animal output in calf gain (kg). The plant component, a timothy (Phelum pratense ) production model, simulates, on a daily time step, metabolizable energy (ME), crude protein, and biomass accumulation from environmental inputs. The animal component utilizes the ME output of the plant to satisfy energy requirements for maintenance, growth, and production. Finally, the environmental inputs were generated by a weather component that was based on the Canada Climate Normals for Truro, Nova Scotia. The individual component models and the system model were evaluated through verification, calibration, and validation using data collected from beef research and farm systems in Atlantic Canada. The calibration of the plant component was completed using the data from years of research trials at Nappan, Fredericton, Charlottetown, and Truro. The animal component was calibrated based on the chosen breed of cattle (Hereford or Hereford cross). (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
