MOGADOR: a two-level tool for decision support on pig farms
MOGADOR : un outil d’aide à la décision à deux niveaux pour l’atelier d’engraissement porcin
Résumé
A model representing a pig fattening unit was developed as part of the MOGADOR project. The model considers accounts for interactions among farm infrastructure, farmer practices and biological processes, in particular the growth of animals, by considering individual variability in pig performance. The model provides technical (slaughter weight, feed conversion ratio, etc.), economic (premiums, costs, margin) and environmental (gas emissions, nutrient excretion and impacts calculated using Life Cycle Assessment) indicators required to assess impacts of pig production and to guide farm management. A two-level approach was developed to build a simple tool that can be used for decision support. At the basic level, a library of 480 simulations previously performed and stored in a database is queried using a simple interface; for each of the 480 scenarios, the interface provides the main indicators without delay or the need to enter large amounts of input data. Additionally, an "expert" operating method was designed that directly activates the model developed in the MOGADOR project and requires only a few minutes of calculation time. Simulation results can be consulted, extracted and stored via an interface that enriches the simulation database. A simple set of simulations provides initial results to farmers by choosing scenarios similar to their situations. The analysis can be further refined using the expert model. The tool demonstrates interoperability through its connection with economic data series and databases (such as ECOALIM, a data base of feed ingredients environmental impacts).