Reading model to estimate optimum economic intakes of amino acids for poultry

Abstract

The use of a linear-plateau procedure to describe the response of an individual in the population has theoretical support, since the maximum potential performance of each individual is genetically determined, and any increment in intake of the limiting nutrient above maintenance will result in a linear response in output until this genetic potential, and hence requirement, is reached. However, because of the distribution of body weights and maximum potential outputs in the population, the mean response of the population is curvilinear, which negates the possibility of defining a 'requirement' for the limiting nutrient, and instead leads to the possibility of defining an optimum economic intake of the nutrient.. The Reading model describes the response of a flock to a limiting nutrient by integrating the responses of the individuals making up the population. The response of the population is obtained by inverting a simple factorial model using parameters to describe the mean body weight and maximum output of the flock, their distributions (normal) and covariance. The average response of the population is represented by a linear plateau model with a sigmoidal shape. This model has been widely used to predict the optimum economic intake of amino acids for commercial laying flocks varying in body weight and potential egg output