Patent Description:
Forages, such as but not limited to, grasses, legumes, maize, crop residues, etc., are commonly harvested and fed to ruminant animals. The forage materials are often combined with other feed materials following a ration formulation to define a feed ration for an animal. Ration formulations are generally based on measured nutritive constituents of the forage material. For example. the nutritive constituents of the forage material may include, but are not limited to, Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Digestible fiber, Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Crude Protein (CP), Ash (minerals), etc. It is generally understood by those skilled in the art how much of each nutritive constituent is required, for example, for a cow to produce a given amount of milk.

Research has shown that digestibility of forage materials may be improved by extremely processing the forage material prior to feeding the forage material to the animals. This extreme processing is referred to as maceration. Increased digestibility of the forage materials due to maceration increases the amount of nutrients absorbed by the animal for a given volume of forage. The increase in nutrient absorption results in increased production for the given volume of forage, e.g., increased milt production in dairy cattle. However, the increased digestibility provided by macerating the forage material may render the known ration formulations, which are based on the nutritive values of the forage material prior to being macerated, less accurate. <NPL> teaches that mechanical maceration of wheat straw improves the digestible energy value. <CIT> discloses a method and apparatus for maceration of forage (e.g. silage) materials. <CIT> discloses a process and apparatus for making a stock feed, comprising macerating a feed crop and adding supplementary food factors. <CIT> discloses an organic waste management method and apparatus comprising a macerator and storage tank and sensors (level, temperature, pressure) located in the storage tank, which sensors are in communication with a controller area network module. <CIT>discloses a method and apparatus for preparing a silage good, comprising subjecting a harvested good to an analysing process for determining a plurality of parameters (ADF, CP, NDF), determine the ensiling conditions, followed by carrying out the ensilaging. <CIT> discloses a computer-based system for characterizing the nutritional components of a ruminant feed ration (e.g. NDF).

A method of preparing a feed ration for an animal is provided. The method includes determining an initial nutritive value of a forage material, and then macerating the forage material with a mechanical macerator, wherein macerating is a highly intensive mechanical crop conditioning process in which the physical structure of plant stems are broken down and split into numerals pieces while the leaves and upper stem segments are crushed and pureed. An actual amount of maceration of the forage material achieved by the mechanical macerator is then determined with a macerator sensor. A step of correcting the initial nutritive value with a ration controller based on the actual amount of maceration to define a corrected nutritive value of the forage material, wherein the corrected nutritive value of the forage material is indicative of a change in digestibility of the forage material caused by maceration of the forage material. A step of defining a formulation for the feed ration with the ration controller based on the corrected nutritive value of the forage material, wherein the formulation for the feed ration defines a percentage of the forage material forming the feed ration and a percentage of another feed material forming the feed ration.

In an embodiment, applying the correction to the initial nutritive value of the forage material to define the corrected nutritive value of the forage material may include, but is not limited to, multiplying the initial nutritive value of the forage material by the correction to define the corrected nutritive value of the forage material.

In a further embodiment, after the formulation has been defined, the macerated forage material may then be mixed with the another feed material to form the feed ration. The animal may then be fed with the feed ration.

In a further embodiment, the step of determining the initial nutritive value of the forage material may include, but is not limited to, determining at least one of an initial Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) value of the forage material, an initial Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) value of the forage material, an initial Crude Protein (CP) value of the forage material, or an initial Ash content of the forage material.

In a further embodiment, the forage material may include a fermented crop material forming a silage material.

A feed ration system is also provided. The feed ration system includes a mechanical macerator that is operable to macerate the forage material. The feed ration system includes a macerator sensor that is operable to sense data related to an actual amount of maceration of a forage material achieved by the mechanical macerator. A ration controller is coupled to the macerator sensor. The ration controller includes a processor and a memory having a ration algorithm stored thereon. The processor is operable to execute the ration algorithm to receive an input related to an initial nutritive value of the forage material. The ration controller is further operable to receive the data from the macerator sensor related to the actual amount of maceration of the forage material. The ration controller is then operable to define a correction for the initial nutritive value based on the actual amount of maceration, and to apply the correction to the initial nutritive value of the forage material to define a corrected nutritive value of the forage material. The ration controller is then operable to define a formulation for the feed ration based on the corrected nutritive value of the forage material. The formulation for the feed ration defines a forage percentage of the forage material forming the feed ration and a second percentage of another feed material forming the feed ration.

In an embodiment, the processor is operable to execute the ration algorithm to multiply the initial nutritive value of the forage material by the correction to define the corrected nutritive value of the forage material. In a further embodiment, the feed ration system includes a visual output that is operable to display the formulation. The visual output may include, but is not limited to, a monitor, screen, display, touch-screen display, etc.. In a further embodiment, the feed ration system may further include a mixer. The mixer is operable to automatically combine the forage material with the another feed material at the forage percentage and the second percentage respectively, as defined by the formulation.

Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a feed ration system is generally shown at <NUM> in <FIG>. The feed ration system <NUM> prepares a feed ration <NUM> for an animal <NUM> from a combination of a forage material <NUM> and other feed materials <NUM>. The feed ration <NUM> may be fed to a ruminant animal <NUM>, such as but not limited to cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, deer, etc..

The forage material <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, a dried green foliage crop or a fermented forage. The dried green foliage crop may include, but is not limited to, grasses, alfalfa, maize, sorghum, or other cereal plants that are dried to a pre-defined level suitable for long term storage. As known to those skilled in the art, the fermented forage is often referred to as silage or a silage material. As understood by those skilled in the art, "silage" is a type of fodder or forage material <NUM> made from green foliage crops that have been preserved by acidification. The acidification is achieved through a fermentation process. The green foliage crops used to make silage may include, but are not limited to, grasses, alfalfa, maize, sorghum, or other cereal plants.

As noted above, the forage material <NUM> is combined with the other feed materials <NUM> to form the feed ration <NUM>. The other feed materials <NUM> may include, but are not limited to, protein supplements such as soybean meal, and cotton seed, energy supplements such as dry corn, effective fiber supplements such as dry alfalfa hay or grass hay crops, and other minerals and micro nutrients. The forage material <NUM> and the other feed materials <NUM> are combined as prescribed by a ration formulation. The ration formulation describes a forage percentage of the feed ration <NUM> defined by the forage material <NUM>, and a second percentage of the feed ration <NUM> defined by the other feed materials <NUM>. If the other feed materials <NUM> include multiple different feed materials, then the ration formulation may include a specific percentage for each of the different feed materials. It should be appreciated that the forage percentage and the second percentage may be defined by unit weight, by unit volume, by unit mass, or in some other manner.

The feed ration system <NUM> includes a mechanical macerator <NUM> that is operable to macerate the forage material <NUM>. As understood by those skilled in the art, "macerating" or "maceration" is a highly intensive mechanical crop conditioning process in which the physical structure of plant stems are broken down and split into numerals pieces while the leaves and upper stem segments are crushed and pureed, resulting in significant cell wall rupture and the release of intracellular solubles. For example, the degree of cell wall rupture for macerated forage material <NUM> may be between <NUM>% and <NUM>%. As is understood by those skilled in the art, maceration is a much more intensive and extreme form of crop processing than the typical crop conditioning that occurs in traditional crop conditioning units commonly disposed on mowers and other crop cutting implements. As such, it should be appreciated that the maceration of the forage material <NUM> described herein is different and more extensive than, and is not the equivalent of, a typical crop conditioning process that may occur at the time of cutting the crop material that is intended to be dried and made into dry hay or the like. A typical crop conditioning process associated with mower conditioners and other similar crop processing apparatus may provide cell rupture of only <NUM>-<NUM>%, and do not provide the level of maceration described herein.

The mechanical macerator <NUM> may include a device that macerates the forage material <NUM> through a mechanical process, such as but not limited to, beating, chipping, crushing, bending, cracking, scraping, or shearing the forage material <NUM>. The mechanical macerator <NUM> may include, for example, one or more macerating plates or rollers that move relative to each other, and pass the forage material <NUM> therebetween, whereby the forage material <NUM> is macerated. The mechanical macerator <NUM> may include a power input, such as but not limited to a rotary power input that drives a gear train, or an electric input that drives an electric motor, a hydraulic input that drives a hydraulic motor etc. The power input in turn drives the macerating plates and/or rollers for macerating the forage material <NUM>. It should be appreciated that the mechanical macerator <NUM> may include other components not described herein, and that the specific construction, configuration, and operation of the mechanical macerator <NUM> may vary from the example implementation shown in the Figures and described herein.

Referring to <FIG>, an example implementation of the mechanical macerator <NUM> is generally shown. The example implementation of the mechanical macerator <NUM> includes a first processor roll <NUM> and a second processor roll <NUM>. In the example implementation shown in <FIG> and described herein, the mechanical macerator <NUM> includes a plurality of first processor rolls <NUM>, and a plurality of second processor rolls <NUM>. However, it should be appreciated that the example implementation of the mechanical macerator <NUM> may be implemented with only a single first processor roll <NUM> and a single second processor roll <NUM>.

The first processor roll <NUM> and a second processor roll <NUM> are rotatably attached to a frame <NUM> and are arranged in parallel with each other. The first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> are spaced apart from each other to define a roll gap <NUM> therebetween. At least one of the first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> is moveable relative to the other of the first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> to change or adjust the roll gap <NUM> therebetween. The first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> may be attached to and supported by the frame <NUM> in a suitable manner. Additionally, at least one of the first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> may include an adjustment mechanism attaching it to the frame <NUM> to enable relative movement therebetween to adjust the roll gap <NUM>. The specific construction and operation of the adjustment mechanism are not pertinent to the teachings of this disclosure, are understood by those skilled in the art, and are therefore not described in detail herein.

Each of the first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> are rotatable about a respective central longitudinal axis. The first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> may be configured to rotate in opposite rotational directions. For example, the first processor roll <NUM> may be configured to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction <NUM> as viewed on the page of <FIG>, whereas the second processor roll <NUM> may be configured to rotate in a clockwise direction <NUM> as viewed on the page of <FIG>. Each of the first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> are operable to rotate at a respective rotational speed. As such, the first processor roll <NUM> may rotate at a first rotational speed, and the second processor roll <NUM> may rotate at a second rotational speed that is different from the first rotational speed. The difference between the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed defines a differential roll speed.

The first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> are operable to receive the forage material <NUM> through an inlet <NUM> of the roll gap <NUM>, and macerate the forage material <NUM> as the silage passes through the roll gap <NUM> with the first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM> rotating at their respective rotational speeds. The amount of maceration of the forage material <NUM> is dependent, at least partially, upon the distance of the roll gap <NUM> and the differential roll speed between the first processor roll <NUM> and the second processor roll <NUM>. The forage material <NUM> is discharged from the roll gap <NUM> through an outlet <NUM> of the roll gap <NUM>.

The feed ration system <NUM> may include a nutrition sensor <NUM>. The nutrition sensor <NUM> may be positioned adjacent the inlet <NUM> of the roll gap <NUM>. The nutrition sensor <NUM> is operable to sense data related to nutritive levels of the forage material <NUM>. The nutritive levels or values of the forage material <NUM> may include, but are not limited to, a Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) value, a digestible fiber value, an Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) value, a Crude Protein (CP) value, and an Ash or mineral content value. It should be appreciated that the nutrition sensor <NUM> may sense data related to these or other nutritive values which may then be used to determine or calculate the actual nutritive values. Alternatively, the nutrition sensor <NUM> may sense the actual nutritive values directly. The nutrition sensor <NUM> may include any sensor or combination of sensors, test equipment, chemicals, cameras, etc., necessary to sense the data related to the nutritive levels. The specific configuration and operation of the nutrition sensor <NUM> is dependent upon the specific types of nutritive values sensed, are understood by those skilled in the art, and are therefore not described in detail herein.

The mechanical macerator <NUM> further includes a macerator sensor <NUM>. The macerator sensor <NUM> is positioned adjacent to the outlet <NUM> of the roll gap <NUM>. The macerator sensor <NUM> is operable to sense data related to an actual amount of maceration achieved by the mechanical macerator <NUM>. The macerator sensor <NUM> may sense data related to the actual amount of maceration that may then be used to determine or calculate the actual amount of maceration achieved, or may directly sense the actual amount of maceration achieved. The macerator sensor <NUM> may include, for example, a camera or other similar device that captures and image of the forage material <NUM> exiting the roll gap <NUM>. The image may then be analyzed by a ration controller <NUM> to determine the actual amount of maceration of the forage material <NUM>. It should be appreciated that the macerator sensor <NUM> may be implemented in some other manner not shown or described herein.

The feed ration system <NUM> may further include an output <NUM> for communicating a message. The output <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, a visual output <NUM> that is operable to display the ration formulation. The visual output <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, a display screen, a touch-screen display, a monitor, etc. The output <NUM> may be coupled to and in communication with a ration controller <NUM>, which provides or communicates as signal to the output <NUM> representing or indicating the ration formulation to a user. It should be appreciated that the output <NUM> may be configured differently than the visual output <NUM> described herein.

The feed ration system <NUM> may further include a mixer <NUM>. The mixer <NUM> is operable to combine the forage material <NUM> with the other feed material <NUM> at the forage percentage and the second percentage defined by the ration formulation respectively. In none implementation, the mixer <NUM> may be automatically controlled by the ration controller <NUM>. In another implementation, the mixer <NUM> may be manually controlled and/or operated by a user. The mixer <NUM> may include any device capable of combining and mixing the macerated forage material <NUM> with the other feed material <NUM>(s) to form the feed ration <NUM> at the combined percentages defined by the ration formulation. The specific construction and operation of the mixer <NUM> are not pertinent to the teachings of this disclosure, are well known to those skilled in the art, and are therefore not described in detail herein.

The ration controller <NUM> is coupled to and in communication with the macerator sensor <NUM>. If equipped with the nutrition sensor <NUM>, the output <NUM>, and/or the mixer <NUM>, the ration controller <NUM> may further be coupled to and in communication with the nutrition sensor <NUM>, the output <NUM>, and the mixer <NUM> respectively. The ration controller <NUM> may be operable to receive data from the nutrition sensor <NUM> and the macerator sensor <NUM>. Additionally, the ration controller <NUM> may be operable to control and/or adjust the mixer <NUM> and/or the visual display. As described in greater detail below, the ration controller <NUM> is operable to determine the ration formulation.

The ration controller <NUM> may alternatively be referred to as a computing device, a computer, a controller, a control module, a module, etc. The ration controller <NUM> may be operable to receive data from the nutrition sensor <NUM> and the macerator sensor <NUM>, and control the operation of the feed ration system <NUM>. The ration controller <NUM> includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and all software, hardware, algorithms, connections, sensors, etc., necessary to manage and control the operation of the feed ration system <NUM>. As such, a method may be embodied as a program or algorithm operable on the ration controller <NUM>. It should be appreciated that the ration controller <NUM> may include any device capable of analyzing data from various sensors, comparing data, making the necessary decisions required to control the operation of the feed ration system <NUM> and executing the required tasks necessary to implement the method described herein.

As used herein, "controller" is intended to be used consistent with how the term is used by a person of skill in the art, and refers to a computing component with processing, memory, and communication capabilities, which is utilized to execute instructions (i.e., stored on the memory or received via the communication capabilities) to control or communicate with one or more other components. In certain embodiments, a controller may be configured to receive input signals in various formats (e.g., hydraulic signals, voltage signals, current signals, CAN messages, optical signals, radio signals), and to output command or communication signals in various formats (e.g., hydraulic signals, voltage signals, current signals, CAN messages, optical signals, radio signals).

The ration controller <NUM> may be in communication with other components on the feed ration system <NUM>, such as hydraulic components, electrical components, input devices, etc. The ration controller <NUM> may be electrically connected to these other components by a wiring harness such that messages, commands, and electrical power may be transmitted between the ration controller <NUM> and the other components. Although the ration controller <NUM> is referenced in the singular, in alternative embodiments the configuration and functionality described herein can be split across multiple controllers using techniques known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

The ration controller <NUM> may be embodied as one or multiple digital computers or host machines each having one or more processors, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), electrically-programmable read only memory (EPROM), optical drives, magnetic drives, etc., a high-speed clock, analog-to-digital (A/D) circuitry, digital-to-analog (D/A) circuitry, and any required input/output (I/O) circuitry, I/O devices, and communication interfaces, as well as signal conditioning and buffer electronics.

The computer-readable memory <NUM> may include any non-transitory/tangible medium which participates in providing data or computer-readable instructions. The memory <NUM> may be non-volatile or volatile. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Example volatile media may include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which may constitute a main memory. Other examples of embodiments for memory <NUM> include a floppy, flexible disk, or hard disk, magnetic tape or other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, and/or any other optical medium, as well as other possible memory devices such as flash memory.

The ration controller <NUM> includes the tangible, non-transitory memory <NUM> on which are recorded computer-executable instructions, including a ration algorithm <NUM>. The processor <NUM> of the ration controller <NUM> is configured for executing the ration algorithm <NUM>. The ration algorithm <NUM> implements a method of preparing the feed ration <NUM> for the animal <NUM>.

In order to implement the method of preparing the feed ration <NUM>, the ration controller <NUM> receives an input related to an initial nutritive value of the forage material <NUM>. The step of receiving the input is generally indicated by box <NUM> in <FIG>. The initial nutritive value of the forage material <NUM> may include an age of growth of the forage material <NUM>, which may be calculated or estimated by an operator. Alternatively, if the feed ration system <NUM> is equipped with the nutrition sensor <NUM>, then the ration controller <NUM> may receive the input from the nutrition sensor <NUM>, and use the data from the input to determine the initial nutritive value of the forage material <NUM>. Alternatively, if the feed ration system <NUM> is not equipped with the nutrition sensor <NUM>, then the ration controller <NUM> may receive the input from a user input device <NUM>, such as a touch-screen display, a keyboard, or some other manner of data entry.

The input related to the nutritive levels or values of the forage material <NUM> are determined or sense prior to the forage material <NUM> being macerated. The ration controller <NUM> may use the data related to the nutritive values of the forage material <NUM> to calculate or otherwise determine the actual nutritive values of the forage material <NUM> prior to maceration. The initial nutritive value of the forage material <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, at least one of an initial Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) value of the forage material <NUM>, a digestible fiber vale of the forage material <NUM>, an initial Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) value of the forage material <NUM>, an initial Crude Protein (CP) value of the forage material <NUM>, or an initial Ash content of the forage material <NUM>.

Once the initial nutritive values of the forage material <NUM> have been sensed or otherwise determined, the forage material <NUM> is then macerated with the mechanical macerator <NUM>. The step of macerating the forage material <NUM> is generally indicated by box <NUM> in <FIG>. The ration controller <NUM> may control the mechanical macerator <NUM>, such as by controlling the roll gap <NUM> and/or the differential roll speed, to control the amount of maceration of the forage material <NUM>.

After the forage material <NUM> is macerated, the ration controller <NUM> receives data from the macerator sensor <NUM> related to the actual amount of maceration of the forage material <NUM>. The step of receiving data related to the actual amount of maceration is generally indicated by box <NUM> in <FIG>. The data from the macerator sensor <NUM> may be used to calculate or otherwise determine how much the forage material <NUM> was actually macerated.

As described above, the level or amount of maceration may be determined by capturing an image of the forage material <NUM> after maceration, and examining the image with artificial intelligence of the ration controller <NUM> to determine the level or amount of maceration of the forage material <NUM>. Additionally, it should be appreciated that the level or amount of maceration of the forage material <NUM> may be sensed and/or determined in some other manner, using some other data sensed by the macerator sensor <NUM>, that is not mentioned or described herein.

The degree to which the animal <NUM> may digest constituents of the forage material <NUM> is affected by the amount or degree of maceration of the forage material <NUM>. A higher level of maceration may enable the animal <NUM> to digest a higher percentage of constituent elements of the forage material <NUM> for a given volume then a lower amount of maceration. As such, the final ration formulation is dependent upon the level or amount of maceration of the forage material <NUM> that is actually achieved by the mechanical macerator <NUM>.

Ration formulations are generally based on nutritive values of the forage material <NUM>. However, these ration formulations have been developed based on forage material <NUM> that has not been macerated. For this reason, the known ration formulations do not reflect the amount of nutrients the animal <NUM> may digest from macerated forage material <NUM>. Accordingly, the ration controller <NUM> corrects the initial nutritive value based on the actual amount of maceration to define a corrected nutritive value of the forage material <NUM>. The corrected nutritive value of the forage material <NUM> is indicative of the change in digestibility of the forage material <NUM> caused by maceration of the forage material <NUM>. The corrected nutritive value of the forage material <NUM> may then be used to calculate the ration formulation based on known or established feed component portions to productivity relationships.

The ration controller <NUM> may correct the initial nutritive value based on the actual amount of maceration of the forage material <NUM> in a suitable manner. For example, in one implementation, the ration controller <NUM> may define a correction for the initial nutritive value based on the actual amount of maceration. The step of defining the correction is generally indicated by box <NUM> in <FIG>. The correction may include, but is not limited to, a multiplication factor, that increases or decreases the initial nutritive value of the forage material <NUM> based on the affects of maceration, to reflect the amount of nutrient digestion absorbed by the animal <NUM> after maceration. The correction may depend on the amount of maceration. For example, in one implementation, the correction may increase the initial nutritive value with an increase in the amount of maceration. However, in other implementations or for other constituent components of the forage material <NUM>, the correction may decrease the initial nutritive value with an increase in the amount of maceration.

The ration controller <NUM> applies the correction to the initial nutritive value of the forage material <NUM> to define the corrected nutritive value of the forage material <NUM>. The step of applying the correction is generally indicated by box <NUM> in <FIG>. The manner in which the correction is applied is dependent upon the type of correction. For example, in one implementation, the correction is a multiplication factor. As such, the correction is applied by multiplying the initial nutritive value of the forage material <NUM> by the correction to define the corrected nutritive value of the forage material <NUM>. In other embodiments, the correction may include an additive correction. As such, the correction is applied by summing the initial nutritive value with the correction to define the corrected nutritive value of the forage material <NUM>. It should be appreciated that the correction may mathematically alter the value of the initial nutritive value of the forage material <NUM> in some other manner not specifically described herein, and that the method of applying the correction is dependent upon the manner that the correction alters the initial nutritive value.

After the ration controller <NUM> has defined or calculated the corrected nutritive value, the ration controller <NUM> may then calculate or define the ration formulation for the feed ration <NUM> based on the corrected nutritive value of the forage material <NUM>. The step of defining the ration formulation is generally indicated by box <NUM> in <FIG>. As described above, the ration formulation for the feed ration <NUM> defines a forage percentage of the forage material <NUM> forming the feed ration <NUM> and a second percentage of another feed material <NUM> forming the feed ration <NUM>. The second percentage may include multiple different percentage values for multiple different other feed materials <NUM>. For example, if the other feed material <NUM> includes a first other feed material <NUM>, a second other feed material <NUM> and a third other feed material <NUM>, then the ration formulation would include a respective percentage of the feed ration <NUM> for each of the first other feed material <NUM>, the second other feed material <NUM>, and the third other feed material <NUM>.

It should be appreciated that the forage percentage and the second percentage may be percentages of the feed ration <NUM> based on, but not limited to, weight, volume, or mass. The ration controller <NUM> may define the forage percentage and the second percentage, based on known formulations using the corrected nutritive values of the forage material <NUM>. By using the corrected nutritive values of the forage material <NUM>, the formulation reflects the change in digestibility of the forage material <NUM> caused by macerating the forage material <NUM>.

Once the ration formulation has been defined, the macerated forage material <NUM> may be mixed with the mixer <NUM> with the other feed materials <NUM> to form the feed ration <NUM> for the animal <NUM>. The step of mixing the feed ration <NUM> is generally indicated by box <NUM> in <FIG>. The ration controller <NUM> may control the mixer <NUM> to automatically mix the macerated forage material <NUM> with the other feed materials <NUM>. However, in other implementations, the ration controller <NUM> may display the ration formulation on the output <NUM> for a user, and then the user may manually mix the macerated forage material <NUM> with the other feed materials <NUM> to form the feed ration <NUM>. After mixing the macerated forage material <NUM> with the other feed materials <NUM>, the feed ration <NUM> may then be fed to the animal <NUM>. The step of feeding the animal <NUM> is generally indicated by box <NUM> in <FIG>.

Claim 1:
A method of preparing a feed ration (<NUM>) for an animal (<NUM>), the method comprising:
determining an initial nutritive value of a forage material (<NUM>);
macerating the forage material (<NUM>) with a mechanical macerator (<NUM>), wherein macerating is a highly intensive mechanical crop conditioning process in which the physical structure of plant stems are broken down and split into numerals pieces while the leaves and upper stem segments are crushed and pureed;
determining an actual amount of maceration of the forage material (<NUM>) achieved by the mechanical macerator (<NUM>) with a macerator sensor (<NUM>); and
defining a formulation for the feed ration (<NUM>) with a ration controller (<NUM>) based on the actual amount of maceration of the forage material (<NUM>), wherein the formulation for the feed ration (<NUM>) defines a percentage of the forage material (<NUM>) forming the feed ration (<NUM>) and a percentage of another feed material (<NUM>) forming the feed ration (<NUM>); wherein defining the formulation for the feed ration (<NUM>) based on the actual amount of maceration includes defining a correction with the ration controller (<NUM>) for the initial nutritive value based on the actual amount of maceration, and applying the correction with the ration controller (<NUM>) to the initial nutritive value of the forage material (<NUM>) to define a corrected nutritive value of the forage material (<NUM>).