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Feed Efficiency: Difference between revisions

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Historically, measures of feed utilization incorporated both feed consumption and measures of body weight gain <ref> Koch, R. M., L. A. Swiger, D. Chambers, and K. E. Gregory. 1963. Efficiency of feed  use in beef cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 22:486-494. doi:10.2527/jas1963.222486x. </ref> <ref> Dickerson, G. E., N. Kunzi, L. V. Cundiff, R. M. Koch, V. H. Arthaud, and K. E. Gregory. 1974. Selection criteria for efficient beef production. J. Anim. Sci. 39:659-673. doi:10.2527/jas1974.394659x. </ref> <ref> Berry, D. P., and J. J. Crowley. 2012. Residual intake and body weight gain: A new measure of efficiency in growing cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 90:109–115. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4245. </ref>; however, when expressed in a linear form (e.g. selection index) application of values for costs and returns results in outcomes more closely associated with net return (value – cost) and therefore a selection index considering both cow/calf performance, postweaning growth and carcass merit measures is likely optimum for the beef industry <ref name="nielsen"> Nielsen, M. K., M. D. MacNeil, J. C. M. Dekkers, D. H. Crews Jr., T. A. Rathje, R. M. Enns, and R. L. Weaber. 2013. Review: Life-cycle, total industry genetic improvement of feed efficiency in beef cattle: Blueprint for the Beef Improvement Federation. Prof. Anim. Sci. 29:559–565. </ref>. Application of either approach could result in genetic change in feed utilization.  However, for genetic improvement programs selection should be based on EPD (or EBV) resulting from multiple-trait genetic evaluation of feed intake <ref name="macneil"> MacNeil, M. D., N. Lopez-Villalobos, and S. L. Northcutt. 2011. A prototype national cattle evaluation for feed intake and efficiency of Angus cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 89:3917-3923. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4124. </ref><ref name="thallman>Thallman, R. M., L A Kuehn, W M Snelling, K J Retallick, J M Bormann, H C Freetly, K E Hales, Gary L Bennett, R L Weaber, D W Moser, and M D MacNeil 2018. Reducing the period of data collection for intake and gain to improve response to selection for feed efficiency in beef cattle, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 96, Issue 3, March 2018, Pages 854–866, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skx077</ref>.
Historically, measures of feed utilization incorporated both feed consumption and measures of body weight gain <ref> Koch, R. M., L. A. Swiger, D. Chambers, and K. E. Gregory. 1963. Efficiency of feed  use in beef cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 22:486-494. doi:10.2527/jas1963.222486x. </ref> <ref> Dickerson, G. E., N. Kunzi, L. V. Cundiff, R. M. Koch, V. H. Arthaud, and K. E. Gregory. 1974. Selection criteria for efficient beef production. J. Anim. Sci. 39:659-673. doi:10.2527/jas1974.394659x. </ref> <ref> Berry, D. P., and J. J. Crowley. 2012. Residual intake and body weight gain: A new measure of efficiency in growing cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 90:109–115. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4245. </ref>; however, when expressed in a linear form (e.g. selection index) application of values for costs and returns results in outcomes more closely associated with net return (value – cost) and therefore a selection index considering both cow/calf performance, postweaning growth and carcass merit measures is likely optimum for the beef industry <ref name="nielsen"> Nielsen, M. K., M. D. MacNeil, J. C. M. Dekkers, D. H. Crews Jr., T. A. Rathje, R. M. Enns, and R. L. Weaber. 2013. Review: Life-cycle, total industry genetic improvement of feed efficiency in beef cattle: Blueprint for the Beef Improvement Federation. Prof. Anim. Sci. 29:559–565. </ref>. Application of either approach could result in genetic change in feed utilization.  However, for genetic improvement programs selection should be based on EPD (or EBV) resulting from multiple-trait genetic evaluation of feed intake <ref name="macneil"> MacNeil, M. D., N. Lopez-Villalobos, and S. L. Northcutt. 2011. A prototype national cattle evaluation for feed intake and efficiency of Angus cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 89:3917-3923. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4124. </ref><ref name="thallman>Thallman, R. M., L A Kuehn, W M Snelling, K J Retallick, J M Bormann, H C Freetly, K E Hales, Gary L Bennett, R L Weaber, D W Moser, and M D MacNeil 2018. Reducing the period of data collection for intake and gain to improve response to selection for feed efficiency in beef cattle, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 96, Issue 3, March 2018, Pages 854–866, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skx077</ref>.
Accurate feed utilization testing in beef cattle is dependent on collecting reliable and sufficiently precise measures of daily feed intake and body weight gain.  Measurement of both phenotypes is subject to some degree of error. Therefore, much care should be given to the development and implementation of testing procedures that systematically minimize the errors associated with measuring these two components.

Revision as of 21:01, 22 September 2022

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Historically, measures of feed utilization incorporated both feed consumption and measures of body weight gain [1] [2] [3]; however, when expressed in a linear form (e.g. selection index) application of values for costs and returns results in outcomes more closely associated with net return (value – cost) and therefore a selection index considering both cow/calf performance, postweaning growth and carcass merit measures is likely optimum for the beef industry [4]. Application of either approach could result in genetic change in feed utilization. However, for genetic improvement programs selection should be based on EPD (or EBV) resulting from multiple-trait genetic evaluation of feed intake [5][6].

Accurate feed utilization testing in beef cattle is dependent on collecting reliable and sufficiently precise measures of daily feed intake and body weight gain. Measurement of both phenotypes is subject to some degree of error. Therefore, much care should be given to the development and implementation of testing procedures that systematically minimize the errors associated with measuring these two components.

  1. Koch, R. M., L. A. Swiger, D. Chambers, and K. E. Gregory. 1963. Efficiency of feed use in beef cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 22:486-494. doi:10.2527/jas1963.222486x.
  2. Dickerson, G. E., N. Kunzi, L. V. Cundiff, R. M. Koch, V. H. Arthaud, and K. E. Gregory. 1974. Selection criteria for efficient beef production. J. Anim. Sci. 39:659-673. doi:10.2527/jas1974.394659x.
  3. Berry, D. P., and J. J. Crowley. 2012. Residual intake and body weight gain: A new measure of efficiency in growing cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 90:109–115. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4245.
  4. Nielsen, M. K., M. D. MacNeil, J. C. M. Dekkers, D. H. Crews Jr., T. A. Rathje, R. M. Enns, and R. L. Weaber. 2013. Review: Life-cycle, total industry genetic improvement of feed efficiency in beef cattle: Blueprint for the Beef Improvement Federation. Prof. Anim. Sci. 29:559–565.
  5. MacNeil, M. D., N. Lopez-Villalobos, and S. L. Northcutt. 2011. A prototype national cattle evaluation for feed intake and efficiency of Angus cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 89:3917-3923. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4124.
  6. Thallman, R. M., L A Kuehn, W M Snelling, K J Retallick, J M Bormann, H C Freetly, K E Hales, Gary L Bennett, R L Weaber, D W Moser, and M D MacNeil 2018. Reducing the period of data collection for intake and gain to improve response to selection for feed efficiency in beef cattle, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 96, Issue 3, March 2018, Pages 854–866, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skx077