dynamic programming model for optimising feeding and slaughter decisions regarding fattening pigs

Costs of purchasing new piglets and of feeding them until slaughter are the main variable expenditures in pig fattening. They both depend on slaughter intensity, the nature of feeding patterns and the technological constraints of pig fattening, such as genotype. This study examines the problem by using a dynamic programming model that links genetic characteristics of a pig to feeding decisions and the timing of slaughter and takes into account how these jointly affect the quality-adjusted value of carcass. The state of nature and the genotype of a pig are known in the analysis. The results suggest that producer can benefit from improvements in the pig's genotype. Animals of improved genotype can reach optimal slaughter maturity quicker and produce leaner