Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 April 2015
Animal scientists and agricultural economists have been working together to answer the question, “What is the least-cost feed mix for a given set of prices?” In the 1950's sophisticated mathematical programming via computers generated a renewed interest in ration formulation. Since then, animal scientists and agricultural economists have been intrigued with determing least-cost rations for various livestock species. But this research has been devoted to determining the least-cost rations rather than minimizing feed cost per pound of gain or pound of product produced and/or minimizing total cost per pound of gain or product produced. Answering the latter question is a prime goal of animal nutrition research.