The efficiency of producing salable products in the pork industry is largely determined by costs associated with feed and by the amount and quality of lean meat produced. The objectives of this paper were 1) to explore heritability and genetic correlations for growth, feed efficiency, and real-time ultrasound traits using both pedigree and marker information and 2) to assess accuracy of genomic...

The objectives of this study were to estimate (co)variance components for growth and feed efficiency measures, and to compare selection strategies to improve economic efficiency of gain. Variance components for pre- and postweaning growth, body weight, and measures of feed efficiency were estimated from data collected on 1,047 Targhee lambs over 7 yr. Approximately 21 d after weaning, lambs wer...

in this experiment, randomized complete block design with four replications was used for evaluating of the effect of three feeding methods including: without feed restriction (control group), 6 hours feed restriction from 7 to 21 days and 4 hours from 22 to 28 days, 6 hours feed restriction from 7 to 14 days and 4 hours from 15 to 21 days on performance and ascites prevention of arian male broi...

Two hundred ninety-eight Rambouillet ewe and wether lambs approximately 9 mo old from Texas were allotted to pens (29 to 30 lambs/pen). Two replicate pens were fed each of five diets. Two methods of restricting energy intake were evaluated: altering nutrient density (55% vs 72.5% vs 90% concentrate levels) and restricting intake of the 90% concentrate pelleted diet (92.5% or 85% ad libitum inta...

Net feed conversion efficiency (NFCE) describes whether an animal eats more or less feed than expected for its size and growth rate. Early results from the Trangie NFCE Project, and from the Beef CRC, show that considerable variation in NFCE exists within each of the British breeds tested and is moderately heritable. Estimates of heritability for average daily gain, 365-day weight, feed intake,...

Feed intake is determined by many interacting factors and prediction of feed intake is the “Achilles heel” of diet formulation. Many different diet characteristics interact with environment and physiological state of cows, making it difficult to predict feed intake accurately. However, understanding the factors controlling feeding allows us to manipulate diets to optimize feed intake. Eating is...

and Implications The relationships between body condition score (BCS) observed during the first 45 days of lactation and two measures of feed efficiency, residual feed intake (RFI) and gross efficiency (GE) defined as milk energy / DMI, measured during mid-lactation were assessed in 255 first lactation Holstein cows. No significant differences in BCS at calving and at approximately 40 days in m...

Recent improvement in technologies for measuring individual feed intake has made possible the collection of data suitable for breed-wide genetic evaluation. The goals of this research were to estimate genetic parameters for components of feed efficiency and develop a prototype system for conducting a genetic evaluation of Angus cattle for feed intake. Weaning weight (WWT), postweaning BW gain (...