Opportunities to Improve Feed Efficiency of Beef Production
نویسنده
چکیده
Beef cow-calf efficiency has been a topic of several review and symposium papers. A primary focus of many discussions on beef cowherd efficiency has centered on reproductive success and calf yield per cow, or more simplistically calf weight divided by cow weight. Reproduction and weaning weight are important but research has also demonstrated potential benefit from selecting for metabolic efficiency and strategic supplementation to enhance production efficiency. Efficiency is improved when reduction of inputs is achieved without detriment to product value and/or when product value is enhanced without increased input costs. In cow-calf production maintenance cost of the cow is the primary expense and most probable means of reducing input costs. Since reproduction and calf weight determines value methods, to enhance either can benefit cowherd productivity. Potential of selection for residual feed intake to reduce cow maintenance costs and nutritional strategies to enhance reproductive development and conception to improve production efficiency as well as calf growth efficiency will be discussed.
منابع مشابه
Bringing Feed Efficiency Technologies to the Beef Industry: Challenges and Opportunities
While beef production continues to be the largest agricultural enterprise in the U.S. (20.5% of total farm cash receipts in 2006; ERS, 2008), rising feed costs, global competition, and societal concerns about food safety, energy policy and the environment have created new economic challenges for the industry. Productivity of the U.S. cattle industry has improved substantially over the last 50 y...
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