Residual feed efficiency established in a post-weaning growth test may not result in more efficient ewes on the range

Performance, feed efficiency, feeding behavior, and cortisol concentration of lambs ranked for Residual Feed Intake and Residual Intake and Gain

This study aimed to evaluate the performance, feed efficiency, feeding behavior, and cortisol concentrations of lambs ranked into different groups of Residual Feed Intake (RFI) and Residual Intake and Gain (RIG). Forty Santa Inês lambs with a mean initial age of 120 ± 30 days and mean initial (IBW) and final body weight (FBW) of 28.9 ± 3.2 and 43.7 ± 3.9 kg, respectively, were used. The animals were fed at an automatic feed and water station (Intergado®) for 60 days and classified at the end of the experiment as low-RFI/RIG, medium-RFI/RIG, and high-RFI/RIG according to RFI and RIG. Performance, feed efficiency measures, ingestive behavior, temperament, and cortisol concentrations were measured, and Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between the variables studied. The variables that differed most between RFI groups were dry matter intake, feed conversion, and feed efficiency, with better values in efficient animals (RFI-). Regarding the RGI groups, the average daily gain of animals classified as RIG- was 19.37% lower than that of animals classified as RIG± and 39.28% lower than that of animals classified as RIG+. Only the hourly feeding rate per day (p = 0.04) differed significantly between RFI and RIG classes, while no differences were observed for the ingestive behavior variables or cortisol. The number of visits to the feed bunk (total, with or without intake) showed no correlation with any performance or efficiency measure. Identifying animals ranked into different RFI and RIG classes shows that more efficient animals have a lower feed intake for the same weight gain and spend less time at the feed bunk.

Evaluation of the Links between Lamb Feed Efficiency and Rumen and Plasma Metabolomic Data

Feed efficiency is one of the keystones that could help make animal production less costly and more environmentally friendly. Residual feed intake (RFI) is a widely used criterion to measure feed efficiency by regressing intake on the main energy sinks. We investigated rumen and plasma metabolomic data on Romane male lambs that had been genetically selected for either feed efficiency (line rfi−) or inefficiency (line rfi+). These investigations were conducted both during the growth phase under a 100% concentrate diet and later on under a mixed diet to identify differential metabolite expression and to link it to biological phenomena that could explain differences in feed efficiency. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were analyzed using partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and correlations between metabolites’ relative concentrations were estimated to identify relationships between them. High levels of plasma citrate and malate were associated with genetically efficient animals, while high levels of amino acids such as L-threonine, L-serine, and L-leucine as well as beta-hydroxyisovalerate were associated with genetically inefficient animals under both diets. The two divergent lines could not be discriminated using rumen metabolites. Based on phenotypic residual feed intake (RFI), efficient and inefficient animals were discriminated using plasma metabolites determined under a 100% concentrate diet, but no discrimination was observed with plasma metabolites under a mixed diet or with rumen metabolites regardless of diet. Plasma amino acids, citrate, and malate were the most discriminant metabolites, suggesting that protein turnover and the mitochondrial production of energy could be the main phenomena that differ between efficient and inefficient Romane lambs.

Genetic parameters for feed efficiency in Romane rams and responses to single-generation selection

Feeding costs represent one of the highest expenditures in animal production systems. Breeding efficient animals that express their growth potential while eating less is therefore a major objective for breeders. We estimated the genetic parameters for feed intake, feed efficiency traits (residual feed intake (RFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR)), growth and body composition traits in the Romane meat sheep breed. In these traits, selection responses to single-generation divergent selection on RFI were evaluated. From 2009 to 2016, a total of 951 male lambs were tested for 8 weeks starting from 3 months of age. They were weighed at the beginning and at the end of the testing period. Backfat thickness and muscle depth were recorded at the end of the testing period through ultrasound measurements. Feed intake was continuously recorded over the testing period using the automatic concentrate feeders. The heritability of RFI was estimated at 0.45 ± 0.08, which was higher than the heritability of FCR (0.30 ± 0.08). No significant genetic correlations were observed between RFI and growth traits. A favourable low negative genetic correlation was estimated between RFI and muscle depth (-0.30 ± 0.15), though additional data are needed to confirm these results. The selection of low RFI sires based on their breeding values led to the production of lambs eating significantly less concentrate (3% decrease in the average daily feed intake), but with the same growth as lambs from sires selected based on high RFI breeding values. We concluded that in meat sheep, RFI is a heritable trait that is genetically independent of post-weaning growth and body composition traits. A one-generation divergent selection based on RFI breeding values highlighted that substantial gains in feeding costs can be expected in selection schemes for meat sheep breeds.

Sheep residual feed intake and feeding behaviour: are ‘nibblers’ or ‘binge eaters’ more efficient?

Efficient liveweight gain is an important component of profitable livestock systems. In cattle, studies of residual feed intake (RFI) suggest that there are behavioural differences between efficient and inefficient animals; more efficient animals have less frequent, larger feed events. There is limited understanding of the association between feeding behaviour and feed conversion efficiency (measured as RFI) in sheep. We hypothesised that more efficient sheep would have lower daily number of meals but larger meal size than would less efficient sheep and that feeding behaviour would be repeatable between measurements conducted using the same sheep at different ages. Feeding behaviour was monitored at post-weaning (average 311 days) and hogget (average 533 days) age in a single cohort of maternal composite 2014-born ewes undergoing feed-efficiency testing. Feed intake (kg/day) and daily feeding behaviour (meal number, meal size and eating rate) were recorded by using automated feeders. Feed intake was recorded daily for a minimum of 40 days (mean 41 days), following a 14-day adaptation period. Animals were fed a pelleted hay-based diet, with liveweight measured three times per week. At both ages of measurement, a positive (P < 0.01) linear relationship was established between average daily number of meals and RFI. In these cohorts, as daily number of meals increased, RFI became more positive (less efficient). Meal size (kg DM) was also related to RFI (P < 0.05) when measured at the hogget age, with meal size decreasing with an increasing RFI (less efficient animals had smaller meals). These analyses suggest that sheep feeding behaviour, and in particular daily meal number, is associated with feed efficiency.

Relationships between the activity of respiratory-chain complexes in pre- (biopsy) or post-slaughter muscle samples and feed efficiency in random-bred Ghezel lambs

The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes in pre- and post-slaughter muscle samples and residual feed intake (RFI) in Ghezel male lambs born as a result of random mating. The study was based on the hypothesis that random-bred lambs with lower feed (or higher) RFI have lower (or higher) respiratory chain-complex activity in muscle samples. Lambs (n = 30) were fed a diet consisting of 70% concentrate and 30% alfalfa hay during a 70-day period. Individual feed intake and average daily gain were recorded to calculate the RFI, feed-conversion ratio (FCR) and adjusted FCR (aFCR). On the basis of these calculations, the lambs were classified into low and high groups for RFI, with FCR and aFCR (n = 22) being one standard deviation above or below the means; this was corroborated by Student’s t-test (P &lt; 0.01). At the end of the experiment, a 10-g biopsy sample was taken from the posterior side of the left femoral biceps. After 24 h, the lambs were slaughtered, and a sample from the posterior side of the right femoral biceps was dissected for determination of mitochondrial protein and respiratory chain-complex activities (Complexes I–V). The RFI was not correlated with the metabolic bodyweight and average daily gain, but was positively correlated (r = 0.56) with the average daily feed intake (P &lt; 0.01); mean daily feed intake in the low-RFI group was 200 g less than that in the high-RFI group. The FCR and aFCR were not significantly (P &gt; 0.05) correlated with average daily feed intake (r = 0.39 and r = 0.36 respectively), but showed a negative correlation (P &lt; 0.01) with average daily gain (r = –0.73 and r = –0.76 respectively). Although very high negative correlations were recorded between the activities of all five respiratory-chain complexes and RFI in muscle samples obtained before (–0.91 to –0.97) and after (–0.92 to –0.97) slaughter, Complexes I and V showed small negative correlations (–0.40) with FCR or aFCR (P &lt; 0.05). Enzyme activities of the respiratory-chain Complexes I, III and V were not significantly different between the pre- and post-slaughter biopsy samples; however, the enzyme activities of respiratory-chain Complexes II and IV were slightly higher in post-slaughter samples (P &lt; 0.01). These results suggested that it may be possible to use the enzymatic activity of respiratory-chain complexes in muscle biopsy samples for screening of lambs for RFI, providing a useful procedure for genetic selection of lambs for this component of feed efficiency. These encouraging results need to be verified in further experiments using other sheep breeds and a larger number of lambs.

Growth performance, feed digestibility, body composition, and feeding behavior of high- and low-residual feed intake fat-tailed lambs under moderate feed restriction

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of moderate feed restriction on productivity of lambs classified on the basis of phenotypic expression of residual feed intake (RFI). In Exp. 1, 58 fat-tailed Kurdi ram lambs (32.1 ± 4.2 kg BW) were individually fed, ad libitum, a pelleted diet (35% alfalfa hay and 65% concentrate). Feed intake and ADG were determined for a 6-wk period and 3 feed efficiency measures including RFI, G:F, and partial efficiency of maintenance (PEM) were calculated. The lambs were sorted based on RFI and the 16 highest RFI (RFI ≥ mean + 0.5 SD) and 16 lowest RFI (RFI ≤ mean - 0.5 SD) lambs were subjected to body composition (BC) and DM digestibility (DMD) analysis. Feeding behavior traits (FB) were also evaluated for 24 h using a regular 5-min interval observation method. The high- and low-RFI lambs (14 lambs/RFI group) so classified in Exp. 1 were used in Exp. 2. Half of the lambs in each RFI group were randomly selected to be fed ad libitum or 85% of ad libitum (restricted feeding), which resulted in 4 experimental groups: 1) ad libitum high-RFI, 2) feed restricted high-RFI, 3) ad libitum low-RFI, and 4) feed restricted low-RFI. The lambs were fed the same diet as Exp. 1, and growth efficiency during a 6-wk test period as well as BC, DMD, and FB were also determined in Exp. 2. In Exp. 1, the low-RFI lambs consumed 14% ( < 0.01) less feed than high-RFI lambs. Differences were also observed between high- and low-RFI groups for G:F ( = 0.01), RFI ( < 0.01), and PEM ( < 0.01) in Exp. 1, but no differences were detected between high- and low-RFI lambs for ADG ( = 0.79), DMD ( = 0.42), BC ( > 0.72), and FB ( > 0.24). In Exp.2, the restriction feeding regime negatively affected ADG ( < 0.01) and G:F ( = 0.02) in low-RFI lambs, whereas G:F ( = 0.02) and PEM ( < 0.01) were improved in high-RFI lambs under the feed restriction condition. No effects of feed restriction on DMD ( = 0.87) and BC ( > 0.05) were observed. The lambs fed at the restricted level of intake presented a greater time ( < 0.01) and rate ( = 0.01) of eating than those fed ad libitum. Although bunk visits and feeding events were decreased ( < 0.01) with feed restriction, no interaction ( > 0.05) was detected between RFI phenotype and feeding regime for FB. In summary, feeding high-RFI lambs at 85% of ad libitum level improved G:F with no effect on ADG, whereas growth performance was reduced by feeding low-RFI lambs at 85% of ad libitum. However, these changes in feed efficiency were not related to DMD, BC, or FB.

Use of residual feed intake in Holsteins during early lactation shows potential to improve feed efficiency through genetic selection

Improved feed efficiency is a primary goal in dairy production to reduce feed costs and negative impacts of production on the environment. Estimates for efficiency of feed conversion to milk production based on residual feed intake (RFI) in dairy cattle are limited, primarily due to a lack of individual feed intake measurements for lactating cows. Feed intake was measured in Holstein cows during the first 90 d of lactation to estimate the heritability and repeatability of RFI, minimum test duration for evaluating RFI in early lactation, and its association with other production traits. Data were obtained from 453 lactations (214 heifers and 239 multiparous cows) from 292 individual cows from September 2007 to December 2011. Cows were housed in a free-stall barn and monitored for individual daily feed consumption using the GrowSafe 4000 System (GrowSafe Systems, Ltd., Airdrie, AB, Canada). Animals were fed a total mixed ration 3 times daily, milked twice daily, and weighed every 10 to 14 d. Milk yield was measured at each milking. Feed DM percentage was measured daily, and nutrient composition was analyzed from a weekly composite. Milk composition was analyzed weekly, alternating between morning and evening milking periods. Estimates of RFI were determined as the difference between actual energy intake and predicted intake based on a linear model with fixed effects of parity (1, 2, ≥ 3) and regressions on metabolic BW, ADG, and energy-corrected milk yield. Heritability was estimated to be moderate (0.36 ± 0.06), and repeatability was estimated at 0.56 across lactations. A test period through 53 d in milk (DIM) explained 81% of the variation provided by a test through 90 DIM. Multiple regression analysis indicated that high efficiency was associated with less time feeding per day and slower feeding rate, which may contribute to differences in RFI among cows. The heritability and repeatability of RFI suggest an opportunity to improve feed efficiency through genetic selection, which could reduce feed costs, manure output, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with dairy production.

Consumo alimentar residual e sua relação com medidas de desempenho e eficiência e características in vivo da carcaça de cordeiros

Avaliou-se o consumo alimentar residual (CAR) e a conversão alimentar (CA) de 20 cordeiros, com o objetivo de estimar as correlações entre essas variáveis com medidas de desempenho e com características in vivo da carcaça. Os animais tiveram o consumo de MS (CMS) mensurado por 65 dias e foram pesados a cada 13 dias para obtenção do ganho médio diário (GMD). Foram considerados o peso vivo inicial (PVI), o peso vivo final (PVF), o peso metabólico (PM), o GMD, a taxa de crescimento relativo (TCR), a taxa de Kleiber (TK), a CA, o CMS e o CMS em percentual do PV (CMSPV). As avaliações de carcaça foram realizadas por ultrassom. O CAR se mostrou correlacionado com o CMS (+0,81), o CMSPV (+0,90) e a CA (+0,63). Correlações significativas foram encontradas entre CA e GMD; CA e TCR; CA e TK; e CA e PVI (-0,63, -0,74, -0,75 e +0,51, respectivamente). O CAR e a CA não se mostraram correlacionados com características de carcaça, e, da mesma forma, não houve diferença entre as classes de CAR para essas variáveis. Confirmou-se o potencial do CAR como medida de eficiência alimentar para cordeiros em confinamento, sem existência de relações com o ganho de peso e o tamanho corporal e sem alterações na composição da carcaça.