Patent ID: 7155377

Claim:
A method of using a computer for calculating an at least one effect of a plurality of environmental conditions on an animal, using said computer to perform the following steps comprising: providing a data set of the plurality of environmental conditions for an at least one locality during an at least one time interval; providing a data set of characteristics of the animal; translating the data set of environmental conditions into a set of microclimate conditions experienced by the animal, by running a microclimate model to generate values for the set of microclimate conditions using the data set of environmental conditions and the data set of animal characteristics, the microclimate model comprising a solar radiation model to enable the calculation of an input of solar radiation when the sun is above the horizon and when the sun is below the horizon; and, solving for a set of animal conditions by running an animal model using the set of microclimate conditions and the data set of animal characteristics, for each of the at least one time intervals at each of the at least one localities, the set of animal conditions comprising an amount of discretionary energy and an amount of discretionary water available to the animal, and a total activity time of the animal.