Overview

Formulate2 allows you to bind the constraints you want bound and not bind what you don't want bound. The only required constraints are, for obvious reasons, dry matter intake and energy.

Feed Constraints

Feed constraints are entered in the Minimum and Maximum columns of the Feed Constraints grid located on the Feed Constraints tab of the ration record form.

To be considered for inclusion, each feed item must have a value in either the minimum or maximum columns. Entering a value in the minimum column will force the item into formulation at the minimum value. To force an item into the formulation within a specific range, both the minimum and the maximum value of the range must be entered. To present an item for inclusion with no forced minimum but a restricted maximum, enter only the maximum. To allow an item for inclusion at any value, click on the maximum field for the item and press F2 to enter a series of 9's in the maximum field.

In the screen image below, Alfalfa Hay is constrained to force a minimum of 16.5 lbs of hay into the formulation but Alfalfa may not exceed 18.5 lbs. Corn Silage may included at any level as indicated by the series of 9's in the maximum field. Whole Cottonseed may be include at any level up to 8.0 pounds and the mineral is forced into the formulation at .58 lbs.

Nutrient Constraints

Nutrient constraints behave somewhat differently with respect to minimums and maximums. While nutrient constraint minimums may be exceeded, maximums are absolute. The F2 maximum is not applicable to nutrient constraints and is not enabled on the Nutrient Constraints tab of the ration record.

To be enforced, a nutrient constraint must be marked in it's bind field.

In the screen image below, all nutrient constraints with an X in the bind field will be enforced at formulation time. Note however, that though EE (marked by the highlight bar) has both a minimum and maximum constraint value, it's bind field is not marked. Without a marked bind field the EE constraint values will be ignored at formulation time.