Genetic parameters for feed intake and efficiency in lactating beef cows

1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Q. Fan ◽  
J. W. Wilton ◽  
P. E. Colucci
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
National Research Council ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Feed Consumption ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Total Data

Genetic parameters of feed intake and efficiency and production traits for lactating beef cows were estimated from data collected from 1980 to 1988 at the Elora Beef Research Centre, Guelph, Ontario. Estimates were obtained using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) with an individual animal model with year–season–treatment, sex of calf, parity, breeding system, covariate daily change of backfat depth and direct genetic and permanent environmental effects. The data included 1174 observations, 511 cows, 369 dam–maternal grand dam pairs and 245 sires of cows. Feed efficiency for milk was calculated as milk yield relative to energy consumed for milk and maintenance and residual feed consumption as estimated energy intake minus energy requirements as estimated by the National Research Council. Heritabilities for Herefords alone and total data, respectively, were estimated to be 0.02 and 0.11 for cow's daily ME intake (MEI), 0.26 and 0.26 for daily milk yield (DMY), 0.45 and 0.33 for milk fat percentage (MFP), 0.29 and 0.40 for metabolic body weight (MBW), 0.21 and 0.10 for calf weaning weight as a proportion of cow weight at weaning (PPW), 0.18 and 0.11 for feed efficiency for milk (FE), and 0.23 and 0.03 for residual feed consumption (RFC). Genetic correlations of output (DMY) and input (MEI) were 0.31 for Hereford and 0.75 for the total data. Genetic correlations of RFC with both output (DMY) and input (MEI) were low. Genetically, PPW was positively associated with FE and DMY and negatively associated with MBW. Key words: Genetic parameters, feed efficiency, lactation, beef cow

scholarly journals Genetic parameters for feed intake and efficiency in dry pregnant beef cows

1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Q. Fan ◽  
J. W. Wilton ◽  
P. E. Colucci
Keyword(s):  
Energy Intake ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
Genetic Parameter ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Feed Consumption ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Total Data

Genetic parameters of feed efficiency and traits relative to feed efficiency for dry pregnant beef cows were estimated from data collected from 1980 to 1988 at the Elora Beef Research Centre, Guelph, Ontario. Measurements of individual feed intake were available for 90 d immediately before calving. Estimates of parameters were obtained using derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood (DFREML), with an individual-animal model with year-season, sex of fetus, parity breeding system, covariate daily backfat change, and genetic and permanent environmental effects. The data included 729 observations, 337 cows, 278 dam–maternal grand dam pairs, and 208 sires of cows. Feed efficiency for pre-calving gain of fetus was calculated as pre-calving gain relative to energy consumed for maintenance and pregnancy, with adjustment of intake for weight change by National Research Council (NRC) standards (FE) or by regression analysis (FER). Residual feed consumption was calculated as energy intake minus energy requirements, with requirements estimated by NRC standards (RFC) or by regression (RFCR). Heritabilities for Hereford alone and total data, respectively, were 0.03 and 0.16 for daily metabolizable energy intake (MEI); 0.20 and 0.44 for metabolic body weight (MBW); 0.28 and 0.22 for fetal pre-calving average daily gain (PADG); 0.11 and 0.05 for FE; 0.28 and 0.20 for FER; 0.01 and 0.04 for RFC; and 0.03 and 0.22 for RFCR. Genetic and phenotypic correlations indicated a positive association of energy intake with pre-calving fetal gain and weight of cow, although correlations with weight of cow were low. Residual feed consumption for the total data was not genetically associated with MEI or PADG, moderately associated with MBW, and highly negatively associated with FE. Key words: Genetic parameter, feed efficiency, pregnancy, beef

Genetic variation in net feed efficiency in Hereford cattle and its association with other production traits

1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 47-47
Author(s):  
R.M. Herd ◽  
S.C. Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Feed Consumption ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Performance Measurements ◽  
Hereford Cattle ◽  
Rate Selection

Net feed efficiency refers to variation in feed consumption between animals net of requirements for maintenance and production, and may be measured as residual feed intake (RFI). Because RFI is independent of liveweight (LW) and growth rate, selection for improved net feed efficiency is likely to reduce feed intake with little change in growth. The purpose of this study was to establish whether there exists genetic variation in RFI in young British Hereford bulls, and to determine the phenotypic and genetic correlations of RFI with key production traits.The data consisted of performance measurements on 540 bull progeny of 154 British Hereford sires, collected over ten 200-day postweaning performance tests conducted between 1979 and 1988. The traits analysed were food intake (FI), 200 to 400-day daily gain (ADG), 400-day weight (W400), predicted carcass lean content (LEAN), lean growth rate (LGR), food conversion ratio (FI/ADG) and lean FCR (LFCR; FI/(ADG x LEAN), described by Bishop (1992).

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.

Genetic and phenotypic parameter estimates between production, feed intake, feed efficiency, body weight and linear type traits in first lactation Holsteins

1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. W. Kennedy ◽  
J. C. M. Dekkers ◽  
R. K. Moore ◽  
L. Jairath
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Total Energy Intake ◽  
Type Traits

Production and feed intake data on 36 115 first lactation Holstein cows obtained from Quebec Dairy Herd Analysis Service were combined with conformation data from the Holstein Association of Canada to estimate genetic correlations among production, energy intake, and conformation traits. Traits considered were 305-d milk yield, 305-d grain energy and total energy intake, feed efficiency (fat corrected milk yield/total energy intake), body weight at calving, capacity, size, stature, rump width and final score. Genetic and phenotypic parameters were estimated using Restricted Maximum Likelihood based on two-trait animal mixed model analyses. The model contained fixed effects of herd-year, season of calving, age of calving, sire group and a random animal genetic effect. Estimates of heritability were within the published range for all traits. Of the conformation traits examined, capacity, size and stature had the highest correlations with body weight, with phenotypic correlations between 0.36 and 0.43, and genetic correlations between 0.61 and 0.79. Feed efficiency was negatively correlated to all body size measures, both phenotypically (−0.01 to −0.29) and genetically (−0.31 to −0.53), but most significantly with body weight, capacity, size, and stature. Fat-corrected milk yield showed negligible phenotypic and low to moderately negative genetic (−0.07 to −0.29) correlations with body weight and related type traits. Total energy intake was positively related to all measures of body size, most notably body weight, while grain energy intake had moderately negative genetic correlations (−0.20 to −0.40) with the same body size traits. Because of their detrimental relationships with feed efficiency, negative selection emphasis should be placed on body weight and the related type traits capacity, size and stature. Capacity, size and stature are of moderate utility when selecting indirectly for body weight, total energy intake and feed efficiency. Key words: Dairy cattle, genetics, production, conformation, feed efficiency

Genetic parameters among lactational performance traits in Murrah buffaloes

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Godara ◽  
D. Singh ◽  
S. S. Dhaka
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Correlation ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Murrah Buffaloes ◽  
Performance Traits ◽  
Lactational Performance ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Animal Sciences

The data pertinent to lactational performance traits on Murrah buffaloes calved during period 1987 to 2002, progeny of 52 sires maintained at Buffalo Research Centre, LLR University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar were considered. The estimates of heritability were obtained low to moderate for almost all lactational performance traits. All the first lactation traits viz., AC1, SP, CI, MY, LL, PY, DAPY and MY/LL had moderate to high positive genetic correlations among themselves except PY with CI and DAPY with AC1, which is negative. Age at calving (AC2) had moderate positive genetic correlation with second lactational performance traits like SP, MY, LL, PY, MY/LL and MY/CI and had negative correlations with DAPY and DP. Moreover, third lactational traits like milk yield, LL, PY, DAPY, MY/LL and MY/CI had high positive genetic correlations among themselves. However, age at calving during fourth lactation had positive genetic correlations with all the traits except CI, DAPY and DP which had negative genetic correlations with it. It is inferred that information on sip performance and other relatives coupled with better husbandry practices would be required to bring desirable improvement in these lactational performance traits.

ALTERNATIVE SELECTION CRITERIA FOR THE GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF FEED EFFICIENCY IN BROILER CHICKENS

1988 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 611-618
Author(s):  
L. N. IRWIN ◽  
G. W. FRIARS ◽  
R. J. JULIAN
Keyword(s):  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Genetic Improvement ◽  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
High Standard ◽  
Abdominal Fat ◽  
Feed Consumption ◽  
Standard Errors ◽  
Compensatory Gain

A hierarchical mating of 25 sires and 192 dams produced 862 progeny that yielded complete records to market age in two hatches of broiler chickens. These progeny were housed in two levels of cages. Half of the birds were subjected to a compensatory feed treatment which was used as an indicator of appetite. Increased feed consumption, following fasting, resulted in increased deposition of abdominal fat. Various approaches were investigated with respect to maximizing the genetic improvement of feed efficiency. Estimates of the heritabilities of feed:gain, gain:feed, total feed intake, compensatory feed intake and compensatory gain were all low (0.24 or less), with generally high standard errors. The estimated heritabilities of gain and gain corrected for feed intake at 0.46 suggests that selection for the latter trait has potential for improving gain at a statistically fixed feed intake. The standard errors on estimates of genetic correlations were too wide to allow predicted selection changes in correlated traits, and thus these correlations were not presented. Key words: Broiler chickens, feed efficiency, compensatory feed intake, abdominal fat deposition

scholarly journals Futteraufnahme und Fressverhalten wachsender Lämmer – 1. Mitteilung: Heritabilitäten und genetische Korrelationen

2008 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 366-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Wassmuth ◽  
E. Gernand ◽  
H. Lenz ◽  
C. Mendel
Keyword(s):  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Eating Behaviour ◽  
Test Period ◽  
The Other ◽  
Eating Time ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Total Data

Abstract. Title: Feed intake and eating behaviour of growing lambs, 1st communication: heritabilities and genetic correlations In the test stations “Grub” (Bavaria) and “Schöndorf” (Thuringia) data were collected on lambs of the breeds Merinolandschaf and Merino Longwool. Feed intake during the whole test period (FAP), feed efficiency (FAW), daily feed intake (TFM), the number of daily visits (TBH) and eating time (TBD) of lambs were measured. In total, data from 1,608 lambs with 37,161 daily records in “Grub” and 1,424 lambs with 35,356 daily records in “Schöndorf” were included. The aim of the present study was to estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations for different traits of feed intake and eating behaviour. In “Schöndorf” the heritability of FAP and FAW was 0.29 and 0.32, respectively. In the test station “Grub” the heritability of the same traits was 0.58 and 0.57, respectively. The heritability of TBH, TBD and TFM were 0.33, 0.25 and 0.05, respectively, in “Schöndorf” and 0.49, 0.36 and 0.10, respectively, in “Grub”. The genetic correlations between the eating behaviour traits TBH and TBD on one hand and feed intake (FAP, FAW, TFM) on the other hand were low. It could be concluded that feed intake as well as eating behaviour showed considerable variances and heritabilities. Further, eating behaviour was not a good indicator of feed intake.

scholarly journals 127 Predicting Dry Matter Intake of Gestating and Lactating Beef Cows

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 58-58
Author(s):  
Megan A Gross ◽  
Claire Andresen ◽  
Amanda Holder ◽  
Alexi Moehlenpah ◽  
Carla Goad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Multiple Regression Equation ◽  
Validation Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Lactating Cows ◽  
Downward Bias ◽  
Protein Supply

Abstract In 1996, the NASEM beef cattle committee developed and published an equation to estimate cow feed intake using results from studies conducted or published between 1979 and 1993 (Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle). The same equation was recommended for use in the most recent version of this publication (2016). The equation is sensitive to cow weight, diet digestibility and milk yield. Our objective was to validate the accuracy of this equation using more recent published and unpublished data. Criteria for inclusion in the validation data set included projects conducted or published within the last ten years, direct measurement of forage intake, adequate protein supply, and pen feeding (no tie stall or metabolism crate data). The validation data set included 29 treatment means for gestating cows and 26 treatment means for lactating cows. Means for the gestating cow data set was 11.4 ± 1.9 kg DMI, 599 ± 77 kg BW, 1.24 ± 0.14 Mcal/kg NEm per kg of feed and lactating cow data set was 14.5 ± 2.0 kg DMI, 532 ± 116.3 kg BW, and 1.26 ± 0.24 Mcal NEm per kg feed, respectively. Non intercept models were used to determine equation accuracy in predicting validation data set DMI. The slope for linear bias in the NASEM gestation equation did not differ from 1 (P = 0.07) with a 3.5% positive bias. However, when the NASEM equation was used to predict DMI in lactating cows, the slope for linear bias significantly differed from 1 (P < 0.001) with a downward bias of 13.7%. Therefore, a new multiple regression equation was developed from the validation data set: DMI= (-4.336 + (0.086427 (BW^.75) + 0.3 (Milk yield)+6.005785(NEm)), (R-squared=0.84). The NASEM equation for gestating beef cows was reasonably accurate while the lactation equation underestimated feed intake.

scholarly journals Association of Feed Efficiency, Feeding Rate, and Behaviour with the Milk Performance of Dairy Cows

Dairy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 684-694
Author(s):  
Lenka Krpálková ◽  
Niall O’Mahony ◽  
Anderson Carvalho ◽  
Sean Campbell ◽  
Gerard Corkery ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Feeding Rate ◽  
Feeding Time ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Milk Performance

Identification of the associations of cow feed efficiency with feeding behaviour and milk production is important for supporting recommendations of strategies that optimise milk yield. The objective of this study was to identify associations between measures of feed efficiency, feed intake, feeding rate, rumination time, feeding time, and milk production using data collected from 26 dairy cows during a 3 month period in 2018. Cows averaged (mean ± standard deviation) 2.2 ± 1.7 lactations, 128 ± 40 days in milk, 27.5 ± 5.5 kg/day milk, 1.95 ± 0.69 kg feed/1 kg milk—the measure used to express feed conversion ratio (FCR), 575 ± 72 min/day rumination time, and 264 ± 67 min/day feeding time during the observation period. The coefficient of variation for rumination time (min/d) was 12.5%. A mixed linear model was selected for analyses. The most feed inefficient cows with the highest FCR (≥2.6 kg feed/1 kg milk) showed the lowest milk yield (24.8 kg/day), highest feed intake (78.8 kg), highest feeding rate (0.26 kg/min) and BCS (3.35 point). However, the relative milk yield (milk yield per 100 kg of body weight) was the highest (4.01 kg/day) in the most efficient group with the lowest FCR (≤1.4 kg feed/1 kg milk). Our study showed that the most efficient cows with the lowest FCR (≤1.4 kg feed/1 kg milk) had the highest rumination time (597 min/day; p < 0.05), feeding time (298 min/day; p < 0.05), rumination/activity ratio (4.39; p < 0.05) and rumination/feeding ratio (2.04; p < 0.05). Less active cows (activity time 164 min/day; p < 0.05) were the most efficient cows with the lowest FCR (≤1.4 kg feed/1 kg milk). The behavioural differences observed in this study provide new insight into the association of feed behaviour and feed efficiency with milk performance. Incorporating feeding behaviour into the dry matter intake model can improve its accuracy in the future and benefit breeding programmes.

EFFECTS OF FEEDING A HIGH LEVEL OF TOWER RAPESEED MEAL IN DAIRY RATIONS ON FEED INTAKE AND MILK PRODUCTION

1977 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. R. SHARMA ◽  
J. R. INGALLS ◽  
J. A. MCKIRDY
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effect ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Rapeseed Meal ◽  
Feed Consumption ◽  
Short Term ◽  
N Retention ◽  
High Level

In experiment 1, 12 cows were used to compare the two (0–0) rapeseed meal (1788 and Tower) varieties with the commercial rapeseed meal (CRSM) and soybean meal (SBM). Feed intake, milk yield and fat content were not different (P > 0.05) among the four treatments; however, protein content was higher (P < 0.05) for the cows fed CRSM and SBM diets than for those fed the 1788–RSM diet. But more (P < 0.05) milk fat was produced by the cows fed 1788–RSM than by those fed CRSM and SBM diets. In experiment 2, eight cows were used to determine the effects of replacing SBM with Tower and also replacing a portion of Tower with urea (TU) in a mixed or extruded (TUE) form on feed intake, milk yield and nitrogen (N) retention. No differences were observed in feed consumption, milk yield or composition among the treatments. Serum thyroxine (T4) level was higher (P < 0.05) for the cows fed SBM than for those fed the 1788–SBM and was similar to levels for cows fed CRSM and Tower in the first experiment. However, no differences were found in thyroxine level in the second experiment. Extrusion of Tower–urea mixture increased (P < 0.05) the N retention compared with other treatments. These short-term studies suggest that up to 25% Tower RSM can be used in dairy rations without adverse effect on performance.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document