Improving production and efficiency of feed utilization are key strategies to improve profitability and sustainability for beef producers. With feed costs continuing to rise and accounting for vast majority of variable costs of cattle during finishing, selection for improved efficiency should be a part of every commercial cattleman’s breeding plan. New tools are available that assist commercial producers to identify the most valuable and profitable bulls for use in their herds. The new tools include genetic predictions for dry matter intake, average daily gain and a new sub-index to predict differences in feed efficiency. A new Terminal Index (TI) that combines dry matter intake, calving ease, growth and carcass merit also debuts. TI is a powerful new tool that utilizes the latest selection index modeling in iGENDEC to provide a prediction of a net merit for progeny sold on the rail. The new traits and index are described below.
Dry matter intake (DMI) is based on individual feed intake measures of cattle during confinement feeding. The trait is reported as the genetic difference in pounds of expected average daily dry matter intake of progeny. The trait is computed using both feed intake records reported by seedstock producers and postweaning growth data. DMI and post-weaning gain have a strong genetic relationship so information provided on the growth of an animal provides valuable information for predicting feed requirements. DMI is best utilized as an economically relevant trait in construction of an endpoint aligned selection index as it represents a direct cost to production. Selection directly on DMI without regard to other traits is strongly discouraged.
Post-weaning average daily gain (ADG) has long been recognized as a key indicator for improved efficiency in beef cattle and is reported in differences in pounds of daily gain during the post-weaning period. Cattle that better gain have more favorable dilution of maintenance cost. Dilution of maintenance reflects the relative differences in energy an animal allocates to growth above maintenance costs. Animals with more favorable ADG typically allocate a lower percentage of intake to maintenance through either lower maintenance requirement, increased gross intake or a combination both. Selection for ADG independent of other traits will result in larger mature weights of cows and fed cattle.
A new feed efficiency (FE) sub-index has been created by the researchers at International Genetic Solutions, NALF’s genetic evaluation partner. The new FE sub-index puts differences in DMI and ADG in context. Without some measure of the relative input: output relationship it’s difficult to know if increased DMI or ADG has a positive effect on efficiency. The FE subindex is an economic index that reports the difference in expected value of gain less the cost of feed to achieve that gain. FE is reported in dollars of marginal profit and will be particularly useful for providing context of the value of changes in DMI and ADG genetic potentials.
A new Terminal Index (TI) has been constructed to identify sires that produce the highest profit potential fed cattle. The new index was created using the most recent 10 years of USDA reported fed cattle and grid pricing data, K-State reported feedlot cattle performance and NALF data. The bio-economic index represents a leap forward in selection technology and was developed using the iGENDEC platform. The new TI index models the use of Limousin sires on Angus based cows will all calves marketed on a value-based carcass grid. The units reported represent expected differences in profit per mating.
Together the new suite of feed efficiency related genetic predictions and the new Terminal Index offered by the North American Limousin Foundation provide users of Limousin and Lim-Flex bulls unparalleled opportunity to drive improvement in feed efficiency, profit and sustainability in fed cattle production.
