MCLONE3: A decision support system for management of liquid dairy and swine manure

MCLONE3 improves decision making about manure and manure handling systems f or dairy and swine operations. The computer program, written in KnowledgePr o++, is an object oriented format for MS Windows 3.1 or Windows 95. It inco rporates methods to estimate manure quantity from either animal numbers and mass or from numbers and feed inputs. Nutrient losses are calculated based on the latest research. A record is kept of the nutrients retained, and al so the amounts lost to the environment. A weighted rating scheme evaluates the user's choice of housing, manure handling, storage type and distributio n methods. The evaluation includes the factors of cost, labor, odor, nutrie nts and the environment. Manure application rates are based on Ontario fiel d crop nutrient uptake recommendations. The user may have nitrogen (N) or p hosphorus (P) uptake as a goal. The program incorporates colored warnings a nd text where nutrient application levels exceed recommendations or provinc ial limits. Hypertext explains words or phrases and the "why" for each ques tion asked. MCLONE3 integrates current knowledge with user inputs to yield a tailored solution for each farm unit. The program is the product of the M anure Systems Research team2 at the University of Guelph.