Feeding Protocols

Feeding protocols define a way of moving animals through a series of rations based on some predefined conditions. They can also aid in increasing the amount fed throughout the feeding period in order to maximize growth. It is possible to use Fusion with or without feeding protocols. Feedlots using them will likely have several feeding protocols defined, one for each type of cattle fed.

Feeding protocols are listed and can be created and edited from the Feeding Protocol List window (see Feeding Protocols List Window and Feeding Protocol Edit Window). They are then assigned to pens as part of the bunk call process (see Bunk Call/Feed Delivery Window). As with other bunk call information, an assigned protocol will move with the pen as long as the animals are being moved to an empty pen.

Anatomy of a Feeding Protocol

A feeding protocol has a series of steps. For each step you tell Fusion what ration(s) the pen should be on, how the bunk call value should increase, and what logic triggers a move to the next step in the protocol. All this is defined in the Feeding Protocol Edit window.

For steps with multiple rations, Fusion will cycle through the rations, remaining on each one for a set number of days. Increases to bunk call values can be based on a bunk scoring system or by trying to achieve a specific gain each day. The number of days on a certain step, yesterday's bunk call, yesterday's BMI%BW, previous bunk call values, the pen weight, and the estimated slaughter date can all play into when Fusion advances a pen to the next protocol step.

Points to Keep in Mind

Here are a few points that aren't discussed elsewhere to keep in mind when using feeding protocols:

  • Fusion will make suggestions during a bunk call as to whether a protocol step should change, what the ration should be, and what the bunk call value should be. When protocols are set up correctly these can normally be accepted. However, the person making the bunk call is always free to make changes as desired before accepting a bunk call. If changes are often needed, the feeding protocol itself may need to be dialed in more.
  • Fusion will only suggest new bunk call related values based on a feeding protocol if a bunk call has not yet been made for the day.
  • A protocol can be suspended for a time. When the protocol is suspended you are free to switch to a different ration. Days on step and logic that counts how many days a pen was on a certain ration do not count suspended days. When the protocol is resumed it will return to its previous state and you can move on from there. (Formulas working with bunk score and bunk call values don't care whether a protocol was suspended.)
  • It is possible to delay the protocol portion of a bunk call from firing until later in the day by asking it to happen on a certain feeding pass. When this happens, only the protocol, the protocol step, the suspend state, and the ration will be delayed. The bunk score and bunk call value are always put into effect immediately.
  • Whenever someone sets the feeding pass to a new value, Fusion quietly checks to see if any bunk calls were made that requested the protocol information to happen on this pass. For each of those, Fusion will check to see if the bunk call is still the latest bunk call made for that pen today. If it is, the requested changes are silently made.
  • Because feeding protocols are part of the bunk call event system, they share the same characteristics. For example, if two trucks make a bunk call for the same pen, the latest bunk call will always "win". However, each truck may not know about the latest bunk call until later in the day, depending on the syncing timeline of the two trucks. For example: Truck A makes a bunk call at 7:00 a.m. where it requests a protocol step change to happen on feeding pass 3. It does not sync for some reason. Truck B makes a bunk call at 7:10 a.m. for the same pen and does not request a protocol step change to happen. Truck B immediately syncs. Later Truck A (which still hasn't synced) gets to feeding pass 3 which triggers the change in feeding protocol step number. Finally Truck A syncs. At this point the server is finally able to tell Truck A about the latest bunk call made for the pen which is the one made by Truck B. Which means Truck A will automatically revert back to the previous protocol step. To avoid such confusion, have trucks full sync as often as possible and try to arrange the workload so that only one truck is ever responsible for bunk calls for certain pens.

Bunk Scoring System

The following system is used for bunk scoring:

  • 0. No bunk score given.
  • 1. Slick bunks, lots of interest.
  • 2. Slick bunks, little interest.
  • 3. Ideal.
  • 4. 5-10% of feed remaining.
  • 5. >10% of feed remaining.

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