Exigências nutricionais de cálcio para vacas leiteiras na microrregião de Sousa-PB a partir do uso de aplicativo para smartphone

Abstract

<p class="Default">Technological innovation has had a remarkable rise and its use in rural areas has become a subdisidiary method for both producers and professionals in the agrarian area. In dairy cattle, there is a lack of information about nutritional management. The supply of minerals is inadequate and it does not meet the requirements of animals often. The objective of this study was to develop an application to estimate the nutritional requirements of calcium for dairy cows and to help producers to provide adequate amounts of this mineral. The application was created from the Java platform, using recommendations from the National Research Council (NRC), with calculation of requirements for maintenance of lactating and non-lactating cows, females in growth, gestation. The application enables the filling of data from animal characterization to the type and quantity of concentrate and forage provided. After filling the data the application will generate the result informing whether the cow in lactation has a deficit, surplus or if it is receiving adequate amounts of the mineral. It also demonstrates the amount of calcium that should be increased or decreased, according to the needs of each animal. Using the bovine calcium application, producers will provide an appropriate supplement, reducing unnecessary costs and increasing milk production.</p>