Feed Efficiency Information
Recent corn price increases attributed to ethanol production have many experts predicting that corn prices will continue to be high indefinitely. Consequently, feed efficiency is becoming the most talked about trait in the cattle industry. With any beef cattle operation, feed costs typically account for 60-65 percent of total production costs. Therefore, the value of feed-efficient cattle has long been recognized in its importance, but accurately measuring it on an individual-animal basis has been a challenge. Historically cattlemen have measured feed efficiency using a feed-to-gain ratio. Feed-to-gain is a good measurement for a pen of cattle; however, it doesn't necessarily tell producers how efficient an individual animal is, making it difficult to trace feed efficiency to certain genetics.
"We like Braunvieh cattle because they seem to have a lower cost of gain and more consistently grade Choice."
Deberg Feedlot
South Dakota
Residual Feed Intake (RFI) Data
Developed in 1963, RFI is defined as the difference between actual feed intake and expected feed requirements for maintenance of body weight and for weight gain. Efficient animals eat less than expected and have a negative or low RFI, while inefficient animals eat more and have a positive or high RFI. In contrast to feed-to-gain ratios, RFI is independent of growth and maturity patterns and, therefore, should be a more precise measurement of feed utilization since it's based on energy intake and energy requirements.
RFI is an individual record taken in long-term feeding trials (at least 70-84 days) where animals are housed either in individual or group pens. Individual animals are measured daily for feed offered and refused, as well as average daily gain. Considerable variation in RFI exists among individual animals within breeds or genetic strains. This variation suggests that substantial genetic progress can be made in RFI since the heritability of the trait is about 40 percent.
Grow Safe® System
Bulls in the National Braunvieh Bull Test are being evaluated for RFI using GrowSafe's feed-intake and behavior-monitoring system. The GrowSafe technology identifies animals that grow as quickly as possible, eat the least amount of feed, require the least amount of medical treatment and produce the best grading carcass, enabling selection for animals that perform consistently. Additionally, GrowSafe behavior patterns have been scientifically proven as early indicators of disease - often before body temperature change and days before visual symptoms are expressed.
A GrowSafe feed-intake and behavior-monitoring system continuously monitors, every second of the day, the individual feeding behaviors and feed intake of animals, with minimal disruption to typical animal behaviors. It measures and/or automatically calculates:
- Duration and feed intake for individual animals
- Feed consumed, measured with 10-gram accuracy
- Feeding frequency over any time interval - daily, testing period or feeding period
- Automatic calculation of feed supplied to the bunk
- Feeding rate throughout feeding event
- Animals standing at the bunk not consuming feed
- Intervals between feeding events
- Ambient temperature and several other measurements collected from wireless sensors
To learn more click here.
