Advancements in Cow Herd Efficiency and Selection Decisions
National Cattle Evaluation for Feed Intake & Efficiency
by Troy Smith for Angus Productions Inc.
HOUSTON, Texas (April 19, 2012) — Discussed during the 2012 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Research Symposium and Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas, was a prototype for national cattle evaluation of postweaning feed intake. The goal, said geneticist Michael MacNeil, is to develop a selection index for feed efficiency, incorporating feed intake, indicator traits and genomic predictions that have been validated. MacNeil, formerly a USDA-Agricultural Research Service researcher, now operates a private systems analysis company dubbed Delta G. He delivered his report during a joint meeting of BIF’s Cow Herd Efficiency and Selection Decisions committees.
Michael MacNeil
MacNeil discussed research conducted in cooperation with the American Angus Association to estimate genetic parameters for components of feed efficiency and develop a prototype system for conducting a breed-wide genetic evaluation. Results indicate weaning weight and postweaning gain are genetically correlated with feed intake, and have value as indicator traits in predicting expected progeny difference values for feed intake.
According to MacNeil, the work demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a national cattle evaluation for feed intake using indicator traits to reduce opportunity for selection bias, increase accuracy of the evaluation for a substantial number of animals, and ultimately facilitate calculation of selection indexes.
“We would start with feed intake, plus weaning weight, postweaning gain and fat depth,” explained MacNeil. “One or more genomic predictions, when validated, could be incorporated in an EBV for feed intake.”
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