The Poultry Calculator is a regionally specific, physical model of broiler chicken production; the purpose of the model is to simulate broiler performance, resource consumption, and environmental impacts. The user interface is designed for ease of use and is equipped with button navigation. Users can virtually design production systems by entering inputs such as broiler breed, ration type, barn design, geographical region, climate control system design. Upon completing the inputs and running the model, the user is presented with an interactive output page. Broiler performance outputs include feed conversion ratio, interactive cumulative weight gain curve, mortality rates, and litter production information. Resource consumption displays electricity, fossil fuel, and water consumption on an annual, per bird, and per live weight basis. Global warming potential, water depletion, and land occupation output tabs outline the environmental impacts of the operation. Each environmental output tab displays a breakdown of the contributions from different on farm processes in tabular form and as an interactive pie chart. The model is intended to inform producers, researchers, and industry decision makers about the effects of on-farm management practices. The aim of this model is to provide a tool that will help the United States poultry industry on it’s path of continuous improvement.
Follow these instructions to ensure the model runs correctly.
1) To download the Poultry Calculator, click HERE
2) Unzip / extract the contents of the folder to your desktop
3) Ensure that you are connected to the internet.
4) Double click on the unzipped folder named ‘Poultry-Model-V0.0.2’.
5) The contents of the directory should look exactly like the image below. Double click on the folder named ‘Poultry-Model-V0.0.2’ (the folder highlighted in blue).
6) The contents of the directory should now look like the image below. Double click the application named ‘broilerProduction’ (the file highlighted in blue).
7) At this point the model should automatically start running in your browser. Follow the navigation buttons by clicking on them.
8) Follow ANY explicit instructions you see when navigating through the inputs.
NOTE: You will see a note asking you to select a state and a county. When you get to these inputs, you MUST click into the state dropdown and click on a state. The counties will update to reflect the counties in the respective state. Then you MUST click into the county dropdown and click on a county.
NOTE: Please send any questions, comments, or suggestions to machrist@email.uark.edu. Your opinion is VALUABLE. Input that we receive may result in a more useful or easy-to-use tool! Please DO NOT hesitate to contact Martin Christie at machrist@email.uark.edu. Looking forward to your input!