2007 Conference Sessions
Herefords — The Efficiency Experts
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| Audio | |||
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| Presentation Slides | |||
| Dan Moser | 199 KB | Download | |
| Mark Allan | 688 KB | Download | |
| Money Kerley | 57 KB | Download | |
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Synopsis
Dan Moser, Kansas State University associate professor, said the next frontier in national cattle evaluation is fertility and longevity.
“Herefords have long been known for traits such as hardiness, docility and fertility,” Moser said. “Customers expect it. If we are going to continue to deliver on those expectations, we need to start measuring and documenting those traits.”
Most producers realize economically the most important factors of a cow herd are fertility and longevity. Although the environment and management can easily influence fertility, it is still genetically important, Moser explained.
He commended Hereford breeders for incorporating whole-herd reporting. “If we didn’t have that program, it would be difficult to evaluate fertility and longevity,” Moser said.
He asked attendees to consider what expected progeny difference (EPD) would be the most useful for breed improvement — pregnancy rate, calving rate, age at first calving or days to calving. Moser said by the summer of 2008, he hopes to have data ready to release and publish related to fertility and longevity.
Mark Allan, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) beef cattle geneticist, updated participants about the feed efficiency project at MARC.
Allan showed data that summarized 71% of the total cost of a calf feds, excluding purchase cost, is feed cost totaling $288. Cattle-Fax data he summarized said annual cash cost per cow in 2006 averaged $366 with 62% or $226.92 of the total cost being feed cost.
Allan said he’d argue efficiency is specific to each operation. It depends on which part of the production cycle a producer is involved in. “The most efficient cow may not produce the calf that is going to be the most efficient on a high-energy concentrate diet in the feedlot,” he said.
Allan summarized efficiency is difficult to define but technology today is aiding in the collection of data. He predicted that in the next several years beef producers will see a lot of progress related to evaluating efficiency.
Monty Kerley, University of Missouri animal scientist and professor, said the Hereford breed is as far, if not further, along than other breeds in regards to feed efficiency.
Kerley explained to Young Guns participants the difference between RFI (residual feed intake) and feed efficiency. RFI is also known as net feed efficiency (NFI). Kerley said in order to calculate NFI, a producer should take actual intake minus predicted intake at a specific body weight and daily gain. Kerley gave the following example: an 850-lb. bull calf with a 4.0 ADG with an actual intake of 15.3 and predicted intake for the group of bulls at 20.4 would have a RFI of -5.1,so the calf consumed 5 lb. less feed than the average calf to perform the same.
Kerley said NFI is a moderately heritable trait, similar to growth and carcass traits. Kerley stressed education is very important regarding RFI testing. What producers are looking for is a calf with a negative RFI, which means he takes less feed.
He also warned not to single-trait select for feed efficiency. A producer can have a very efficient calf, but he will not gain, Kerley said. He agreed with Allan, suggesting the development of an index and the use of a balanced approach to selecting for feed efficiency.
Kerley shared several research projects that included Herefords. Based on the data, although limited in number, Herefords are ranking the best in feed efficiency. “Based on the data, if I was involved in developing a marketing slogan for the Hereford breed, I think I’d pick ‘The Efficiency Breed,”’ he said with a chuckle.
For questions or more information, contact Amy Cowan at (816) 842-3757 or