Applying feed intake monitoring systems into producer testing programs

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Applying feed intake monitoring systems into
producer testing programs

• Dr. Daryl R. Strohbehn
• Extension Beef Specialist
• Iowa Beef Center _at_ ISU

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Why Feed Efficiency?

• With everything else equal or even less wouldnt
  you rather have a more feed efficient sire?

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Why Feed Efficiency?

• Feed cost represents 60 of the total cost in
  finishing cattle. (Fox _at_ 2002 BIF)
• Feed cost represents 63 of total financial cost
  to run a beef cow. (Strohbehn, IA SPA results
  2000-04)
• A 10 improvement in feed efficiency can improve
  feedlot profits 43. (Fox, et.al. 2001)
• 65-75 of total dietary energy cost in breeding
  cows is required for maintenance. (Ferrell
  Jenkins 1985 NRC 1996)
• A 5 improvement in feed efficiency has an
  economic impact 4 times greater than a 5
  improvement in ADG. (Gibb McAllister 1999)

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Why Feed Efficiency?

• Environmental friendly cattle
• Selection for improved feed efficiency will
• Lower methane emissions by 9 to 12 (Okine,
  et.al. 2001)
• Reduce manure N, P and K production by 15-17
  (Arthur, et.al. 2002)

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Why Feed Efficiency?
Its a heritable trait. Trait Heritability Fee
d conversion (f/g) .36 Feed efficiency
(g/f) .42 Feed intake .41 Koots, et.al.
1994
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Efficiency Traits Lets get our definitions
straight
Feed Conversion Feed Intake / Animal
Gain Example - 41 or 81 (lbs of dry matter /
lb gain)
Feed Efficiency Animal Gain / Feed
Intake Examples .25 lbs gained / lb feed or
.125 lbs gain / lb feed
(usually expressed in units of 100 dry matter)
Later on I will talk about RFI, NFI and NFE.
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I remember when.1960-70s

• Individual fed bulls in separate pens
• Example Wye Plantation in Queenstown, Maryland
• Daily hand kept written records
• Very, very high labor
• No animal peck order, thus no impact from
  competition

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Technology Advancements
lt-PinPointer 4000 system
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Technology Advancements
Calan Electronic Feed Gates ? - Each animal has
its own space and daily written records
System at Circle A Angus, MO
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GrowSafe System, Canada
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Feed Conversion testing with on the farm/ranch
systems

• Dont take this job lightly
• Its like milking dairy cows, methodical daily
  duties.
• Requires attention to feed and management
  details, regardless of intake monitoring system
  utilized.
• Requires meticulous record keeping, both with
  feed intake and weight gains.

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Record analysis assistance may be needed.

• Feed conversion is just not feed intake divided
  by gain.
• Most tests are equal time on feed, thus bull
  weights while on test vary a great deal.
• BIF method account for differences in average
  bull weights during test.

Range in off test weight 974 - 1541
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BIF Methodology

• Adjusted Feed Conversion uses metabolic weights.
• ( W.75 / Wi.75 ) x ( Feed / Gain )
• W is the mid test weight the average of the
  initial weight and final weight.
• This method adjusts feed/gain of heavier than
  average bulls downward and lighter than average
  bulls upward.

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Question ???

• Two bulls have the same Feed Conversion and 3.5
  lb ADGs on 120 day test.
• 6.5 lbs feed to 1.0 lb gain
• Bull A and B have off test weights of 1300 and
  1200, respectively.
• Are they the same for Feed Conversion?
• NO !
• After adjusting for differences in body weight
• Bull As average test weight was 1090 lbs, Bull
  Bs average test weight was 990 lbs
• Bull A Adjusted FC6.27
• Bull B Adjusted FC6.74

Beef Improvement Federation Guidelines
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Duane Warden Wardens Ironwood Angus Council
Bluffs, IA
24 years of feed efficiency testing using
PinPointer system
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Wardens Adjusted Feed Conversion 1995-2004
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Wardens Adjusted Feed Conversion 1995-2004
New Level bull
0350 bull
701 bull
4 Point 8 bull
3303 bull
4333 bull
Influence sires Past and Present
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Wardens Adjusted Feed Conversion 1995-2004
New Level bull
0350 bull
701 bull
4 Point 8 bull
3303 bull
4333 bull
Warden Smarts Sire Adj Feed Conversion 701 5.84
New Level 5.02 0350 5.18 4 Point
8 4.82 3303 5.21 4333 5.18
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Wardens Adjusted Feed Conversion 1995-2004
New Level bull
0350 bull
701 bull
4 Point 8 bull
3303 bull
4333 bull
Warden Smarts Sire RFI 701 -.70 New
Level -2.20 0350 -1.33 4 Point
8 -2.61 3303 -1.06 4333 -2.50
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Over 40 Years Ago
Data from -Lincoln, NE -Fort Robinson,
NE -Fort Reno, OK Breeds Angus
Hereford Shorthorn

• Dr. Robert Koch, U of Nebraska research and
  reported on a new system that adjusted feed
  intakes for body weight and growth.
• Splits feed intake into two portions
• 1. feed intake for a given level of growth size
• 2. a residual portion

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Thus was born RFI(Residual Feed Intake)

• RFI is also known as
• NFI Net Feed Intake
• NFE Net Feed Efficiency
• RFI is the difference between a bulls actual
  feed intake and its expected feed intake based on
  its size and growth.
• RFI actual DMI expected DMI
• Heritability estimates 29 to 46

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RFI(Residual Feed Intake)

• Used to identify animals that are either or
  from their expected ME intake.
• -NFE high efficiency
• NFE low efficiency

Individual Bull Expected DMI
Individual bull DMI -NFE
ADG
Wt.
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Studies indicate RFI is an independent trait

• Warden data no correlation between Off Test
  Weight and RFI

r -.02
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Studies indicate RFI is an independent trait

• Warden data no correlation between ADG and RFI.

r -.01
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Studies indicate RFI is an independent trait, but
related to Adjusted Feed Conversion

• Warden data .46 correlation between Adjusted
  Feed Conversion and RFI

r .46
RFI
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Studies indicate RFI is an independent trait, but
related to Dry Matter Intake

• Warden data .55 correlation between Dry Matter
  Intake and RFI.

r .55
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Other relationships were evaluated.

• A significant correlation between RFI and
  ultrasound fat cover existed (.17)
• Means fatter bulls were less efficient
• No significant relationships existed between RFI
  and other performance parameters.
• EPDs (BW, WW, YW, Milk) and ultrasound REA

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Dilemma with calculating RFI

• Requires doing a regression analysis of the data
  to develop an equation called Expected Dry Matter
  Intake.
• Expected Dry Matter Intake is then used against
  Actual Dry Matter Intake to develop the RFI.
• Not many producers have the expertise and
  knowledge of statistics to do this exercise.
• Going to require serious expertise involvement
  either from Extension Service or Breed
  Association.

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Warden-Beedle information gathering system using
off the shelf electronic components. Joint
project with the Iowa Beef Center, Miraco,
ID-ology, and Rice Lake Scales
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Our Future..Lets Hope. A view from Australia on
the possibilities
Angus NFI Percentile