Feed Efficiency in the Beef Industry

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ISBN: 9780470959527 | 0470959525
Cover: Hardcover
Copyright: 9/11/2012

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Feed efficiency is increasingly seen as an important factor in both the economic viability and environmental sustainability of cattle production. This book provides beef industry professionals and researchers with a thorough yet concise overview of feed efficiency research. Coverage includes efficient production in a wide range of systems and environments, with topics ranging from economic evaluation to the physiological and genetic basis of feed efficiency. The book also looks at how a fuller understanding of feed efficiency is leading to new selective breeding efforts to develop more efficient cattle.

Foreword
The cost of feeding cattle
Issues - effects of corn for ethanol production
Sustained increased fuel costs
Drivers for increased focus on feed efficiency
How we measure feed efficiency
Old and new measurements
Their advantages and disadvantages
Rationale for identifying and utilizing measures that are independent of other production traits
Feeding standards and standardized testing protocol
Costs and benefits
The importance of both Environment and Genetics
Prenatal
All of life nutrition
Environment x genetics
Genetics
The Practicalities of Genetic Selection for Feed Efficiency
Heritability
Magnitude of natural variation
Rate of progress
Feed Efficiency in Cow-Calf systems on rangelands and in the Feedyard: Similarities and Differences
Comparison of calves fed in the growing phase versus the finishing phase
Effect of diet - high energy versus high forage
Heifers versus steers in the growing phase
Understanding the Role of Physiological Indicators of Feed Efficiency
Hormones as indicators of growth and efficiency
Non-hormone candidate markers of efficiency
Hormone pathways / systems and how they might help us predict efficiency
Variation in Energy Metabolism - and mechanisms that underpin variation in feed efficiency
Mitochondrial efficiency - pathways
Non- mitochondrial candidate mechanisms - AMPK / indicator of cellular energy balance. mTOR pathway - protein synthesis
Protein turnover and energy economy
The Potential Benefits of New Genomics Technologies
The size and complexity of the genome
The rationale for identifying polymorphisms
Polymorphisms in junk DNA and in Biological relevant DNA such as gene promoter regions
The present technology, rate of progress and potential future benefits
Feed Efficiency: Interactions with other traits - potential interactions and antagonisms
Reproduction and fertility
Growth
Carcass traits
Product quality - marbling, tenderness
Differences and similarities between Tropical and Temperate Breeds
Growth potential and feed efficiency
Genetic differences
Differences in physiological indicators
Novel insights from beef cattle efficiency - lessons for the dairy industry
How is RFI being studied in the context of milk production?
Are there relationships between conventional RFI for growth and RFI for milk production?
Do RFI (milk) cows produce calves that are RFI efficient for growth?
The critical factors in determining RFI for milk production - standardization of testing / test period
Heritability and variation in RFI for milk production
The potential of RFI for milk production to improve efficiency in the dairy industry
Producer Awareness and Perceptions of Feed Efficiency
Findings from a National survey supported by NRI
Experience and age of manager
Regional differences and similarities
Size and type of operation
Overview - Lessons from the Australian Experience
Broad but concise overview
Multiple production implications - breed / management system
Physiological indicators
Gold standard of measurement
Conclusions
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Feed Efficiency in the Beef Industry

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Supplemental Materials