Genetic improvement of lean meat growth and feed efficiency in pigs

2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 383 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Hermesch
Keyword(s):  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Restricted Feeding ◽  
Cost Component ◽  
Lean Meat ◽  
Testing Procedures ◽  
Growing Pig ◽  
Breeding Programmes ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Feed Costs

Optimising selection procedures for feed efficiency and lean meat growth in pigs is important because feed costs form a high cost component of production. In this paper a number of breeding objectives used in pig industries are reviewed and the concept of the linear-plateau growth model is outlined. This concept allows optimisation of selection for feed intake of the growing pig taking the pigs potential for protein deposition into account. This is a first step towards further collaboration between geneticists and scientists from other disciplines in order to gain a better understanding of physiological consequences of selection. The necessity of recording individual feed intake in group housed pigs has led to the development of electronic feeders. These computerised systems provide additional data including repeated weight and feed intake records as well as feeding pattern traits. How to make best use of this extra information in breeding programmes needs to be explored further. Implications of testing pigs under ad libitum and restricted feeding are outlined and results from selection experiments and commercial group house environments are summarised. The comparison of testing procedures shows that restricted feeding benefits selection for lean meat growth. However, in commercial environments the benefits depend on how well variation in feed intake can be controlled. Testing procedures should be expanded to explain a larger part of variation in daily feed intake, as is currently the case. This unexplained variation may be related to the animal’s activity, social interactions between animals and response to various stressors that occur in commercial group housed environments.

scholarly journals PSVIII-38 Late-Breaking Abstract: Estimating genetic parameters of feed efficiency traits in American mink

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 347-347
Author(s):  
Pourya Davoudi ◽  
Duy Ngoc Do ◽  
Guoyu Hu ◽  
Siavash Salek Ardestani ◽  
Younes Miar
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Genetic Correlation ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
American Mink ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Final Body Weight ◽  
Selection For

Abstract Feed cost is the major input cost in the mink industry and thus improvement of feed efficiency through selection for high feed efficient mink is necessary for the mink farmers. The objective of this study was to estimate the heritability, phenotypic and genetic correlations for different feed efficiency measures, including final body weight (FBW), daily feed intake (DFI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and residual feed intake (RFI). For this purpose, 1,088 American mink from the Canadian Center for Fur Animal Research at Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture were recorded for daily feed intake and body weight from August 1 to November 14 in 2018 and 2019. The univariate models were used to test the significance of sex, birth year and color as fixed effects, and dam as a random effect. Genetic parameters were estimated via bivariate models using ASReml-R version 4. Estimates of heritabilities (±SE) were 0.41±0.10, 0.37±0.11, 0.33±0.14, 0.24±0.09 and 0.22±0.09 for FBW, DFI, ADG, FCR and RFI, respectively. The genetic correlation (±SE) was moderate to high between FCR and RFI (0.68±0.15) and between FCR and ADG (-0.86±0.06). In addition, RFI had low non-significant (P > 0.05) genetic correlations with ADG (0.04 ± 0.26) and BW (0.16 ± 0.24) but significant (P < 0.05) high genetic correlation with DFI (0.74 ± 0.11) indicating that selection for lower RFI will reduce feed intake without adverse effects on the animal size and growth rate. The results suggested that RFI can be implemented in genetic/genomic selection programs to reduce feed intake in the mink production system.

Selection for feed efficiency traits and correlated genetic responses in feed intake and weight gain of Nellore cattle1

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 955-965 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. Grion ◽  
M. E. Z. Mercadante ◽  
J. N. S. G. Cyrillo ◽  
S. F. M. Bonilha ◽  
E. Magnani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Genetic Responses

scholarly journals Feed Efficiency Can Be Sustained in Pigs Fed with Locally Produced Narbon Vetch (Vicia narbonensis L.)

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 3993
Author(s):  
Emilio Gómez Izquierdo ◽  
Luis Gomez-Raya ◽  
Eduardo de Mercado de la Peña ◽  
Juan José Ciruelos ◽  
Wendy M. Rauw
Keyword(s):  
Soybean Meal ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Body Weight Gain ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Livestock Feeds ◽  
Daily Body Weight ◽  
Feed Costs

There is an interest in replacing soybean meal with locally produced ingredients in livestock feeds. Narbon vetch is resistant to unfavorable climatic and soil conditions, common pests, and has a favorable nutritional profile. The effect of substitution of soybean meal with 0% (V0), 5% (V5), 10% (V10), and 20% (V20) inclusion of Narbon vetch on growth curve parameters, daily body weight gain (DBWG), daily feed intake (DFI), feed conversion efficiency (FCE), and residual feed intake (RFI) was investigated in 47 Duroc × Iberian barrows in 16 periods (a total of 125 d). DFI and DBWG were reduced (p < 0.05) up to four weeks after introduction of the novel feed in V20 and V10. Small, mostly nonsignificant differences existed between treatments in FCE and RFI. However, because of accumulative small differences in feed efficiency between the four diets, pigs in V0 reached the highest BW, and pigs in V20 reached the lowest BW on a similar feed intake. Economic implications of Narbon vetch inclusion depend on the extra amount of feed required and associated feed costs, and on the costs of additional days on-farm required to reach a given slaughter weight.

scholarly journals Effect of selection for fasting tolerance on feed intake, growth and feed efficiency in the European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax

Aquaculture ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 420-421 ◽  
pp. S42-S49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Daulé ◽  
Marc Vandeputte ◽  
Alain Vergnet ◽  
Bruno Guinand ◽  
Laure Grima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Dicentrarchus Labrax ◽  
Sea Bass ◽  
European Sea Bass ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Fasting Tolerance

Selection for weaning weight in Merino sheep. 3. Maintenance requirements and the efficiency of conversion of feed to wool in mature ewes

1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (25) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
WA Pattie ◽  
AJ Williams
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Weaning Weight ◽  
Gross Efficiency ◽  
Wool Growth ◽  
Body Weights ◽  
Unit Body Weight ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Feed Costs ◽  
Maintenance Requirements

Net and gross efficiencies of wool growth have been estimated for ewes from three Trangie selection flocks, one selected for high weaning weight (Weight Plus), one for low weaning weight (Weight Minus), and a random control flock. Weight Plus ewes had 15 and 11 per cent heavier body weights than Weight Minus ewes at maintenance and unlimited levels of feeding respectively. At each level, feed intake was proportional to body weight both between and within flocks. In addition, the feed costs of a unit gain and loss of body weight were the same for each flock at each level of feeding. The Weight Plus ewes grew 7 and 10 per cent more wool than Weight Minus ewes at maintenance and unlimited levels of feeding. Consequently, there was only a small difference between the flocks in efficiency of conversion of feed to wool at maintenance, and there was no difference on unlimited intake. These results indicate that there is no genetic correlation between weaning weight and efficiency of conversion of feed to wool. At the three levels of controlled feeding (543, 725, 902 grams of dry matter a day) there were no differences in gross efficiency of wool growth, either between flocks or between levels within flocks, despite differing changes in body weight. During unlimited feeding, gross efficiency of wool growth was lower than that during controlled feeding. This was due to a reduced response in wool growth, as feed costs per unit body weight change were constant. As both production and feed intake changed in proportion to body weight, it is concluded that attention to weaning weight has little place in a Merino breeding program aimed at increasing wool production. However, selection for high weaning weight may be a useful tool in selecting ewes for crossbreeding because of the associated increases in milk production and lamb growth rate.

scholarly journals An examination of skeletal muscle and hepatic tissue transcriptomes from beef cattle divergent for residual feed intake

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare McKenna ◽  
Kate Keogh ◽  
Richard K. Porter ◽  
Sinead M. Waters ◽  
Paul Cormican ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Residual Feed Intake ◽  
Transcriptome Profiling ◽  
Nucleotide Metabolism ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Hepatic Tissue ◽  
Molecular Control ◽  
Feed Costs

AbstractThe selection of cattle with enhanced feed efficiency is of importance with regard to reducing feed costs in the beef industry. Global transcriptome profiling was undertaken on liver and skeletal muscle biopsies from Simmental heifers and bulls divergent for residual feed intake (RFI), a widely acknowledged feed efficiency phenotype, in order to identify genes that may be associated with this trait. We identified 5 genes (adj. p < 0.1) to be differentially expressed in skeletal muscle between high and low RFI heifers with all transcripts involved in oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial homeostasis. A total of 11 genes (adj. p < 0. 1) were differentially expressed in liver tissue between high and low RFI bulls with differentially expressed genes related to amino and nucleotide metabolism as well as endoplasmic reticulum protein processing. No genes were identified as differentially expressed in either heifer liver or bull muscle analyses. Results from this study show that the molecular control of RFI in young cattle is modified according to gender, which may be attributable to differences in physiological maturity between heifers and bulls of the same age. Despite this we have highlighted a number of genes that may hold potential as molecular biomarkers for RFI cattle.

48 Genomic Studies of Feed Efficiency and Component Traits in American Mink

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 24-25
Author(s):  
Pourya Davoudi ◽  
Duy Ngoc Do ◽  
Guoyu Hu ◽  
Siavash Salek Ardestani ◽  
Younes Miar
Keyword(s):  
Genomic Selection ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
Genetic Relationships ◽  
American Mink ◽  
Final Body Weight ◽  
Component Traits ◽  
Selection For

Abstract Feed costs are the largest expense in mink production systems. Therefore, improvement of feed efficiency (FE) is the best way to use limited resources efficiently and increase the mink industry’s sustainability. The objectives of this project are to 1) identify the genetic relationships among different FE measures and their component traits, and 2) discover the genetic architecture of FE and implement genomic selection for FE traits to increase the genetic gain in American mink. Final body weight (FBW), final body length (FBL), daily feed intake (DFI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), residual feed intake (RFI), residual gain (RG), residual intake and gain (RIG) and Kleiber ratio (KR) traits were measured based on the phenotypic records on 1,088 American mink from the Canadian Center for Fur Animal Research (Nova Scotia, Canada). Univariate models were applied to test the significance of sex, color type, age, and nested Row(Year) as fixed effects and random maternal effect. Genetic parameters were estimated via bivariate models using ASReml-R 4. Estimated heritabilities (±SE) were 0.38±0.10, 0.36±0.10, 0.25±0.10, 0.34±0.09, 0.38±0.08, 0.37±0.07, 0.29±0.10, 0.32±0.10 and 0.34±0.10 for FBW, FBL, DFI, ADG, FCR, RFI, RG, RIG and KR, respectively. RFI showed non-significant (P &gt;0.05) genetic correlations with component traits such as FBW (0.00±0.17) and FBL (0.30±0.16) but significant (P &lt; 0.05) high genetic correlation with DFI (0.74±0.09), indicating that selection based on RFI will reduce the feed intake without any negative effects on the size and growth. The estimated genetic parameters for FE traits suggested the possibility to implement genetic/genomic selection to improve the FE in American mink. Consequently, the ongoing project on genetic mapping and genomic selection will enhance the knowledge of FE and improve the efficacy of selection for more feed-efficient mink.

Divergent breeding values for fatness or residual feed intake in Angus cattle. 5. Cow genotype affects feed efficiency and maternal productivity

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. Hebart ◽  
J. M. Accioly ◽  
K. J. Copping ◽  
M. P. B. Deland ◽  
R. M. Herd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Residual Feed Intake ◽  
Bodyweight Gain ◽  
High Fat ◽  
Low Fat ◽  
Weaning Weight ◽  
Angus Cattle ◽  
Selection For

Cow bodyweight gain, calf weaning weight, feed intake and maternal productivity of 500 Angus cows, in 64 replicate groups, were measured over three parities at two locations (Struan and Vasse) as part of the Beef CRC Maternal Productivity Project. The cows were sourced as heifers from the top and bottom 10% of BREEDPLAN Rib Fat EBV (High-Fat and Low-Fat), and from High and Low residual feed intake (RFI) selection lines (High-RFI and Low-RFI). Each of the four genotypes were run under High- and Low-Nutrition (measured as feed on offer) at both sites. The High-Fat cows were 7% more efficient at producing weaner calves under Low-Nutrition than were the Low-Fat cows. This was driven primarily by the 4% difference between the lines in weaning rate. When weaning rate differences were accounted for (as covariate), there was no difference between the Fat lines in the efficiency of weaner weight production. When the weight gain of the cow was included as an output in addition to calf weaning weight, there was also no difference between the Fat lines in efficiency. Low-RFI cows were always more efficient at producing weaner calves than were the High-RFI cows. This was primarily driven through a 7% reduction in annual feed intake (across both nutrition treatments). However, the Low-RFI cows were leaner, had 6.3% lower weaning rate and calved on average 5.4 days later than did the High-RFI cows. Furthermore, the largest differences in feed intake were in spring when feed availability is greatest. In the context of the results herein, a balanced breeding program should include selection for improved reproduction and low RFI.

scholarly journals Review: divergent selection for residual feed intake in the growing pig

animal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1427-1439 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Gilbert ◽  
Y. Billon ◽  
L. Brossard ◽  
J. Faure ◽  
P. Gatellier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feed Intake ◽  
Residual Feed Intake ◽  
Divergent Selection ◽  
Growing Pig ◽  
Selection For
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