Separation Efficiency Measurements with Non‐Volatile Components and Elevated Feed Viscosities

Feed Efficiency Opportunities with 2008 Feed Cost

With the milk to feed ratio at 2.36 in February, 2008, dairy managers must carefully reviewing feed inputs relative to milk yield. A milk to feed ratio under 3 is a signal to reduce feed inputs. Feed efficiency (also referred to as milk performance efficiency and dairy efficiency) can be defined as pounds of 3.5%FCM (fat corrected milk) produced per pound of dry matter (DM) consumed. Monitoring...

Components of feed efficiency in broiler breeding stock: is improved feed conversion associated with increased docility and lethargy in broilers?.

Two trials were conducted to test the hypothesis that broilers classified as good rather than poor feed converters (low vs. high feed-to-gain ratios, respectively) would show decreased activity (increased lethargy) and reduced fear of human caretakers. In both trials birds were reared to juvenile selection age when the 192 males with the "best" breast and leg conformation were placed into indiv...

Priority Area Review : Feed Grains & Feed Efficiency

Feed efficiency and mitochondrial function.

Studies have been conducted in our laboratory to assess differences in mitochondrial function and biochemistry in male broilers with high and low feed efficiency (FE) from the same genetic line and fed the same diet. Mitochondria obtained from broilers with low FE exhibited greater uncoupling of the electron transport chain (ETC) that was apparently due to site-specific defects in electron tran...

Residual Feed Intake and Feed Efficiency: Differences and Implications

In the beef production system, 70-75% of the total dietary energy is used for maintenance (Ferrell and Jenkins 1984; NRC 1996; Montaldo-Bermudez et al. 1990). Thus, while only 5% of the total life cycle dietary energy consumption is used for protein deposition in beef cattle, swine and poultry are more efficient at 14 and 22%, respectively. The relatively large size, slow maturity and slow repr...