Precision in calculations and reports

You have probably noted that the values for nutrients in a feed or a ration shown in PC-Horse can be given in different formats . Please observe the following:

All calculations in PC-Horse takes place with the precision of analysis that we recieve from the producers of the feed, or from the values that you have entered when creating your own feeds. The same level of precision is used when the supply of nutrients in a ration is compared with national and international standards.

When presenting results of the calculations in reports and graphs, however, PC-Horse will show rounded numbers with 2 or 3 significant digits. We aim to do this irrespective of whether the calculated result is a large number of international units, like Vitamin A and D, or may be in the milligrams range, as for cobalt or selenium. We believe that this mode of presentation will help our users to keep focus on the adequacy of supply of the nutrients. Read more about significant figures here.

In summary, all calculations are done with the full precision available in the analyses of the feeds and in the equations used for calculation of the requirements of individual nutrients. Results are rounded immediately before they are presented in graphs and reports.