Short presentation

Anders Ringgaard Kristensen, Ph.D., D.Sc.

Affiliation

Professor of Pig Production, at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Large Animal Sciences.

Education

• High School ("Gymnasium") with main emphasis on Mathematics and Physics.

• Undergraduate studies in agricultural science with emphasis on Animal Science and Agricultural Economics.

• Postgraduate studies in Statistics, Mathematics and Operations Research.

• Studies at the IT University of Copenhagen.

Academic degrees

• Cand. agro. (M.Sc.), Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, 1982

• Ph.D., Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, 1985.

• Dr. agro. (D.Sc.), Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, 1993.

• MITS (Master of Information Technology, Software Development), IT University of Copenhagen, 2003.

Positions held

• Scientific Assistant, National Institute of Animal Science, Department of Research in Cattle and Sheep, Copenhagen, 1982.

• Research Fellow and Ph.D. student, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Copenhagen, 1982-1985.

• Senior Research Fellow, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Copenhagen, 1985-1986.

• Assistant Professor of Herd Management, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Department of Animal Science, Copenhagen, 1986-1990.

• Associate Professor of Herd Management, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Department of Animal Science and Animal Health, Copenhagen, 1990-2004

• Head of the Dina Research School, 1997-2008

• Professor of Pig Production, University of Copenhagen, Department of Large Animal Sciences Copenhagen, 2005-

Research

All research carried out has been within the area of model based decision support in animal production with main emphasis on recurrent decision problems as for instance the animal replacement problem, where Markov decision programming techniques have been developed, modified and applied as a framework for management support in dairy cattle and pig production. Main results include:

• Development of the notion of a hierarchic Markov process in order to circumvent the well known dimensionality problem of dynamic programming.

• Introduction of a new criterion of optimality in order to optimize replacement policies under the milk quota system of the European Union.

• Development of methods for representation of animal traits using Bayesian updating techniques.

• Development of a framework for dealing with herd constraints as for instance a limited supply of heifers for replacement.

• Simultaneous optimization of decisions at the tactical and operational level using multi-level hierarchical Markov processes. A software system is available.

• Various applications of multi-level hierarchical Markov processes in pig production, steer production and grass ley management.

• Dynamic simulation of a scavenging chicken flock.

Since 1991, the research has been carried out as part of DINA.

Links

• Publications
• Herd Management
• HERD - Centre for Herd-oriented Education, Research and Development

Teaching

Herd management has been taught at undergraduate level since 1986 and post graduate level since 1991. Integrated basic courses (including management, feeding and housing) are given in dairy production and pig production, respectively. An advanced course in herd management is taught separately.

Address

Office

University of Copenhagen, Department of Large Animal Sciences, Grønnegårdsvej 2 DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark, Telephone: +45 35 33 30 91, E-mail: [email protected]   

Private

Majvænget 8, DK-2740 Skovlunde, Telephone: +45 44 84 44 41 E-mail: [email protected]