Introduction
Welcome to LPSolve! This Help document provides a quick introduction to the purpose of the program.
Who is Calf Notes Consulting?
Calf Notes Consulting, LLC is a consulting firm based in Florida that provides training, tools, and consulting services for raising young dairy calves and heifers. The firm was founded in 2023 and has provided consulting and training services to farmers, universities, and corporations all over the world.
Dairy producers increasingly recognize the need for progressive feeding and management programs for their young calves so they may express their full genetic potential for growth and future milk production. Calf Notes Consulting provides the information needed by producers and their advisors to optimize health and growth throughout the growing period, so that animals are fully prepared to enter the milking string or feedlot and become productive animals in the herd.
What is LPSolve?
LPSolve Version 1.0 is a desktop executable program (.exe) that is used to formulate rations for animals. It uses a linear programming algorithm to find the lowest possible cost of all ingredients available to meet the nutrient requirements specified by the user.
The program implements the lp_solve 55 which is a mixed integer linear program freely available that uses a revised simplex method and the Branck-and-bound method for solving linear models. This algorithm was originally developed by Michel Berkelaar at Eindhoven University of Technology with subsequent development and changes through versions 1 to 5. The lp_solve 55 algorithm can be implemented into many different languages, including R, C, C++, python, Visual Basic, Java, and others. A full description of lp_solve 55 as well as the free-use license is available here.
If you’re interested, an integrated developer environment (IDE) has been developed to use lp_solve 55 on platforms like Linux and Windows.
Calf Notes Consulting implemented the lp_solve 5.5.2.11 in a familiar, Excel-like format, along with other functions including a feed library and printing capabilities. The Simplex algorithm is a common method for solving least-cost ration formulation and many commercial ration formulation programs implement some form of Simplex algorithm to solve formulation problems.
Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why.
— Bernard Baruch
Why LPSolve?
LPSolve v.1.0 was developed to meet the changing needs of calf raisers in some parts of the world who are increasingly formulating both dry feeds (calf starters, growers) and liquid feeds (milk blends) on the farm. Existing software programs often contain many more “bells and whistle” than are necessary for simple on-farm formulation questions. Thus, a simple format based on a familiar design (Excel) was developed.
Is LPSolve Accurate?
Like any computer program, the outputs will only be as accurate as the inputs. It’s strongly recommended that LPSolve be used in collaboration with a trained nutritionist who is familiar with least-cost formulation and understands the intricacies of animal nutrition. Interpretation of linear program results are complex and require training and expertise.
LPSolve has been tested with numerous rations and feeding scenarios and provides least-cost formulas similar to other ration formulation programs as well as Excel Solver analyses. However, the lp_solve 55 MILP solver has some limitations. More information is available here.
Please note: Calf Notes Consulting, LLC provides LPSolve “as is”, without warranties, and the user accepts risks like errors or data loss. For more information on limitations of liability, please see the LPSolve End-User Licensing Agreement here.
“Nothing takes place in the world whose meaning is not that of some maximum or minimum.”
– Leonhard Euler