Dairy Cow Nutrition: Design and Development of a Rationing Application

The general nutrition of dairy cows is explored, with a focus on essential nutrients such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. It is emphasized that these nutrients must meet the specific requirements of cows during the milk production period, taking into account factors such as age, weight, and lactation stage. To this end, our project aims to provide breeders with an online ration-formulation application designed to optimize feeding, enhance milk production, and maintain the overall health of the animals. The application was developed using WordPress, utilizing various plugins: JET-Engine, Jet Form Builder, and Elementor. The application is powered by a database—structured as a CCT (Custom Content Type)—that contains the nutritional values of various forages and concentrates. After entering the cow's data (age, weight, body condition score, lactation stage, etc.) and selecting the specific forages and concentrates, the application calculates the necessary quantities by formulating feed rations tailored to the cow's specific needs. This tool therefore proves essential for optimizing nutritional intake and preventing deficiencies or excesses—factors that can lead to improvements in animal health, milk production, and farm profitability. This thesis thus aims to contribute to the development of the dairy industry in Algeria by providing a practical and effective tool for dairy farmers, while simultaneously fostering food self-sufficiency and economic growth within the country.