Abstract

In order to describe the energetic exchanges in lactating cows, various mathematic models both «mechanicistic» and «empiric» types have been developed in recent years. The former type models make it possible to evaluate the elementary processes, but require both the detailed knowledge of numerous variables and the availability of suitable capacity computers. The latter type models are instead simpler to handle, but they merely reproduce the experimental data, without adding any new information: among these models, a simple algebraic one, originally devised by Wood, makes it possible, on the basis of III definited hypothesis, to foresee the milk yield, the body weight variations and the energetic requirements of lactating cows. This model has been tested on a sample of 50 Hostein Friesian cows, using a minicomputer with elementary Basic; the results show an adeguate estimate of the paramethers, based on the study of easily identified characteristics of the lactation curve.

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