improving feed efficiency through genetic …...improving feed efficiency through genetic selection...
TRANSCRIPT
Improving Feed Efficiency through Genetic Selection and Management Strategies
to Improve Overall Herd Efficiency
Overview of our operation at Coota Park and our feed conversion testing.
What have we achieved in the time we have been testing?
Management strategies to increase the overall efficiency of our herds.
Jon Wright (Coota Park Blue-E) Woodstock NSW
Whole herd is recorded with Angus Australia’s Multi breed register EBV’s for all traits including Feed Conversion or NFI ( Net Feed Intake).Still the only herd in Australia to be testing for Net Feed Intake.
50% Shorthorn
(Dam)
50% Angus (Sire)
Blue-E
Incorporated feed conversion or Efficiency into the selection criteria of our herd.
Developed into a line of cattle over time – not a breed.
We chose this simple composite program because
Recognition of the importance of marbling.
Ability to access genetics from large performance recording herds.
Desire for a multi-trait animal that would add to our client’s programs in a responsible and balanced way.
Acknowledging that it doesn’t matter which breed you choose but the animals you choose from within that breed and then what selection strategy you use over time.
We built an on farm facility
48 individual pens – enabling us to record the daily feed intakes of each animal.
70 day test.
Manually measuring the feed intakes.
Conducted 32 tests so far –over 800 bulls to date.
Efficiency Testing Facility
Calculating the Feed Conversion Figure
Feed consumed and weight gain over the 70 days – giving us feed conversion figure.
700 kg consumed100 kg gain
7 to 1 conversion
Range since we have been testingBest 3.8 - 1Worst 10 – 1
• Feed conversion is heritable – about as heritable as growth1
• Big variation in the population of cattle2
• Recent research has shown that the daughters of these young bulls that have been identified for superior feed conversion will eat less grass in the paddock.
3
Conducting a feed conversion test has the advantages of:
Identifying bulls superior for Net Feed Intake
Identify bulls superior for growth – with more range .(Average gain in test is about 2 kg/day)
Measuring EMA, Marbling, Rib and Rump Fat at the end of the test with a body condition that enables expression of the variation possible between animals.
Having all animals on the same diet for a set period every year
Making the animals very quiet
Giving a kick start to weaner bulls
Some reduction in feed usage in the paddock
A Student from Adelaide University ( Jen Cooke) did her masters on the information we had created over previous 12 years at Coota Park Blue-E
1. Investigate if we have made any genetic progress over that time?.
2. How had our herd changed for the other important commercial factors in that same period of time?
3. Is there hybrid vigour associated with feed conversion.
Table 1
Table 2
3% change in feed conversion over 12 yrs.
Across the whole herd.
Angus breed has made an 8% change in growth over the past 18yrs.
Only across those animals you sell each year.
Table 3
Table 4
Feed Conversion is all about saving feed and increasing production.
What is this worth to us in a grass fed system?
What is a kg of grass worth?
Table 5
Steer eats 10 Kg per day
Income $1.00 Kg gain
Average daily gain 0.7 Kg per day
Days 1.4per Kg
Steer eats 2.5% of body weight per day
Steer weight 400 Kg
Therefore 14.3 Kg of feed per Kg gain
Therefore $1.00 for 14.3 Kg eaten
Value of your grass
$0.07
Table 7
Category NoWt (kg)
Intake per animal (2.5%
of body weight)/day
Kg of feed/year
Tons of feed /
animal/year
Total tons of feed/herd/
year
3% change
in intake
Annual cost per animal @$.07/kg
grass
Cow 500 550 13.7 5019 5.0 2509 75 $351
Calves 480 250 6.2 2281 2.3 1095 33 $160
Heifer 150 400 10 3650 3.7 548 16 $256
Steer 150 425 10.6 1275 1.3 191 6 $89
Bulls 80 650 16.2 5931 5.9 475 14 $415
Total 1360 4818 145
Table 7
Tons of feed saved/tons 145
Cost of grass 0.07
Feed cost saved/year $10,117
Big square bales (400kg bale) 361
As an industry overview we need to understand that genetic progress in this area of feed efficiency is totally in the hands of the seed stock producers.
Commercial producers at this stage can’t identify.
There are many studs that have been experiencing incredible success after many years of hard work and dedication.
Many can now afford to test and have a responsibility to their clients.
. . . Just Saying . . .
Efficiency of the whole herd.
Management strategies to improve.
Feed conversion of our non-lactating pregnant cows.
Early wean then pregnancy test.
Potentially 5-6 months.
Her feed conversion is 1 – infinity
No gain associated with that intake.
If allowed she will eat 2.5% of her body weight
500kg cow will eat 12.5 kg day.
A cow will maintain on 1-1.5% of her body weight
Will maintain body condition and her pregnancy.
Will maintain on 6-7 kg a day.
If you start with a poor cow – will maintain a poor cow, do not want to
calve a poor cow.
. . .BUT
I’ll say it again
Table 8
Category Number Wt
Intake per cow 2.5% day for 1/2 year and 1.2% for
other Kg of feed/year Ton/yearTotal
herd/year
Cow 500 550 9.9 3614 3.6 1807
Calves 480 250 6.3 2281 2.3 1095
Heifer 150 350 6.3 2300 2.3 345
Steer 150 425 10.6 1275 1.3 191
Bulls 80 650 16.3 5931 5.9 475
Total 1360 3912
Table 9
Total herd intake when unrestricted (from table 6) 4818 Tons
Difference 906 Tons
Cost of grass $0.07 Cents
Feed cost saved/year $63,364.00
Big square bales (400kg bale) 2264 Bales
Over 900 tons of feed or $63000 of grass per year.
If you only achieve ½ or a ¼ or a ⅟₁₀ of this it is still significant.
How to achieve????
Restrict intakes without ruining our pastures is a challenge.
Put animals into bigger mobs and smaller paddocks.
Cows on grass that is worth less per kilogram.
Just being aware will help you reduce it, maybe just be a little harder on those cows.
Improving Feed conversion (Net Feed Intake) is possible with an on farm testing situation.
We have been able to make gains in Net Feed Intake without compromising other production traits especially fertility.
Recognising that your grass has a value – reducing your usage of it does have economic gains.
Understand the feed requirements of our different classes of stock.
There could be huge gains to be realized if we can restrict the intakes of our breeding stock at particular stages of their production.
Coota Park Blue-E
On Property Bull and Female Sale
3rd September
. . . Ooooops
SALE