Residual Feed Intake (residual + feed_intake)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Strain differences in feed efficiency measured as residual feed intake in individually reared rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 7 2005
Jeffrey T Silverstein
Abstract The efficient use of feed for growth and meat production is important for all animal production industries including aquaculture. Residual feed intake (RFI) is an alternative measure of feed efficiency that has been widely used in livestock production. Residual feed intake was calculated as the difference between intake observed and intake predicted on the basis of a bioenergetics model; a low RFI indicates greater efficiency. Residual feed intake offers some advantages as a selection criterion for improving production efficiency over traditional feed efficiency statistics because it is not a ratio and it typically has a larger coefficient of variation. The RFI of individually reared rainbow trout progeny from six different genetic cross-types was examined for genetic variation. Proximate analysis and nitrogen retention were also evaluated to determine if differences in RFI correlate to differences in body composition and nutrient retention and varied by cross-type. Differences between cross-types indicated a genetic component for RFI, with the most efficient fish of approximately 160 g consuming 0.99 g less and inefficient fish consuming 0.05 g more feed per day than expected. Lower RFI was associated with higher growth rates (r=,0.38, P<0.05) and greater nitrogen retention (r=,0.82 P<0.001). [source]


Genetic analysis of residual feed intakes and other performance test traits of Japanese Black cattle from revised protocol

ANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008
Takeshi OKANISHI
ABSTRACT The performance test protocol for Japanese Black cattle was revised in April 2002. This resulted in restriction of access to concentrate (based on body weight) and modification of the concentrate's ingredients. Genetic parameters of growth and feed utilization traits of the performance test were estimated using 1304 records using the revised protocol. Residual feed intakes (RFIs) as alternative indicators for feed utilization efficiency were included. (Co)variance components were estimated by EM-REML. Heritabilities for growth traits were between 0.26 and 0.47. Heritabilities for feed intakes and conversions ranged from 0.25 to 0.37 and from 0.03 to 0.29, respectively. Genetic variances and heritabilities were lower for the revised protocol. Highly positive genetic correlations of daily gain (DG) with feed intakes indicated selection on DG is expected to increase feed intake. Selection on feed conversion may lead to higher DG. The heritability estimates for RFIs ranged from 0.10 to 0.33 and were generally higher than corresponding estimates for feed conversion ratios. RFI of TDN showed positive genetic correlations with all feed intakes. The reduction of feed intakes could be expected through selection on the RFI without changing body size. RFIs were considered to be alternative indicators to improve feed utilization efficiency under the new performance test. [source]


Genetic parameters for dry matter, energy and protein intake, and their relationships with performance and carcass traits in Japanese Black cattle

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS, Issue 1 2009
M.A. Hoque
Summary Genetic parameters for feed intake and performance traits of 514 bulls and carcass traits of 22 099 of their progeny, and the relationships of measures of feed intake with performance and carcass traits were estimated. Feed intake traits were dry matter intake (DMI), concentrate intake (CONI), roughage intake, ratio of roughage intake to DMI, metabolizable energy intake (MEI) and digestible crude protein intake (DCPI). Performance traits included daily gain, metabolic weight, live weight at the end of test, dry matter conversion ratio and residual feed intake. Progeny carcass traits were carcass weight, percentage of meat yield, rib eye area (REA), subcutaneous fat, marbling score, meat colour (MCS), fat colour (FCS) and meat quality grade. All the feed intake and performance traits were moderately heritable. The heritabilities for REA and MCS were moderate, and that for FCS was low, while those for the other carcass traits were high. Selection against DMI, CONI and DCPI would reduce excessive intake of feed, but would have undesirable effects on growth and most of the carcass traits. Selection against MEI would lead to improvements in feed efficiency and growth traits. Selection against DCPI would also improve feed efficiency; however, responses in growth traits would decrease. Results indicate that selection against MEI might be better than any other measures of feed intake to improve feed efficiency with simultaneous improvement in growth and most of the carcass traits. [source]


Variance components due to direct genetic, maternal genetic and permanent environmental effect for growth and feed-efficiency traits in young male Japanese Black cattle

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS, Issue 3 2007
M. A. Hoque
Summary Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using data recorded on 740 young male Japanese Black cattle during the period from 1971 to 2003. Traits studied were feed intake (FI), feed-conversion ratio (FCR), residual feed intake (RFI), average daily gain (ADG), metabolic body weight (MWT) at the mid-point of the test period and body weight (BWT) at the finish of the test (345 days). Data were analysed using three alternative animal models (direct, direct + maternal environmental, and direct + maternal genetic effects). Comparison of the log likelihood values has shown that the direct genetic effect was significant (p < 0.05) for all traits and that the maternal environmental effects were significant (p < 0.05) for MWT and BWT. The heritability estimates were 0.20 ± 0.12 for FI, 0.14 ± 0.10 for FCR, 0.33 ± 0.14 for RFI, 0.19 ± 0.12 for ADG, 0.30 ± 0.14 for MWT and 0.30 ± 0.13 for BWT. The maternal effects (maternal genetic and maternal environmental) were not important in feed-efficiency traits. The genetic correlation between RFI and ADG was stronger than the corresponding correlation between FCR and ADG. These results provide evidence that RFI should be included for genetic improvement in feed efficiency in Japanese Black breeding programmes. [source]


Quantitative trait loci with effects on feed efficiency traits in Hereford × composite double backcross populations

ANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 6 2009
G. C. Márquez
Summary Two half-sib families of backcross progeny were produced by mating F1 Line 1 Hereford (L1) × composite gene combination (CGC) bulls with L1 and CGC cows. Feed intake and periodic weights were measured for 218 backcross progeny. These progenies were genotyped using 232 microsatellite markers that spanned the 29 BTA. Progeny from L1 and CGC females was analysed separately using composite interval mapping to find quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting daily dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion (FCR) and residual feed intake (RFI). Results from both backcrosses were pooled to find additional QTL. In the backcross to L1, QTL were detected for RFI and DMI on BTA11, FCR on BTA16, and ADG on BTA9. In the backcross to CGC, QTL were detected for RFI on BTA10, FCR on BTA12 and 16 and ADG on BTA15 and 17. After pooling, QTL were detected for RFI on BTA 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13 and 16; for FCR on BTA 9, 12, 16, 17 and 21; for ADG on BTA 9, 14, 15, 17; and for DMI on BTA 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 20 and 23. [source]


Identification of polymorphisms influencing feed intake and efficiency in beef cattle

ANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 3 2008
E. L. Sherman
Summary Feed efficiency is an economically important trait in beef cattle. Net feed efficiency, measured as residual feed intake (RFI), is the difference between actual feed intake and the predicted feed intake required for maintenance and gain of the animal. SNPs that show associations with RFI may be useful quantitative trait nucleotides for marker-assisted selection. This study identified associations between SNPs underlying five RFI QTL on five bovine chromosomes (BTA2, 5, 10, 20 and 29) with measures of dry matter intake (DMI), RFI and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in beef cattle. Six SNPs were found to have effects on RFI (P < 0.05). The largest single SNP allele substitution effect for RFI was ,0.25 kg/day located on BTA2. The combined effects of the SNPs found significant in this experiment explained 6.9% of the phenotypic variation of RFI. Not all the RFI SNPs showed associations with DMI and FCR even though these traits are highly correlated with RFI (r = 0.77 and r = 0.62 respectively). This shows that these SNPs may be affecting the underlying biological mechanisms of feed efficiency beyond feed intake control and weight gain efficiency. These SNPs can be used in marker-assisted selection but first it will be important to verify these effects in independent populations of cattle. [source]


Strain differences in feed efficiency measured as residual feed intake in individually reared rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 7 2005
Jeffrey T Silverstein
Abstract The efficient use of feed for growth and meat production is important for all animal production industries including aquaculture. Residual feed intake (RFI) is an alternative measure of feed efficiency that has been widely used in livestock production. Residual feed intake was calculated as the difference between intake observed and intake predicted on the basis of a bioenergetics model; a low RFI indicates greater efficiency. Residual feed intake offers some advantages as a selection criterion for improving production efficiency over traditional feed efficiency statistics because it is not a ratio and it typically has a larger coefficient of variation. The RFI of individually reared rainbow trout progeny from six different genetic cross-types was examined for genetic variation. Proximate analysis and nitrogen retention were also evaluated to determine if differences in RFI correlate to differences in body composition and nutrient retention and varied by cross-type. Differences between cross-types indicated a genetic component for RFI, with the most efficient fish of approximately 160 g consuming 0.99 g less and inefficient fish consuming 0.05 g more feed per day than expected. Lower RFI was associated with higher growth rates (r=,0.38, P<0.05) and greater nitrogen retention (r=,0.82 P<0.001). [source]


Genetic analysis of residual feed intakes and other performance test traits of Japanese Black cattle from revised protocol

ANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008
Takeshi OKANISHI
ABSTRACT The performance test protocol for Japanese Black cattle was revised in April 2002. This resulted in restriction of access to concentrate (based on body weight) and modification of the concentrate's ingredients. Genetic parameters of growth and feed utilization traits of the performance test were estimated using 1304 records using the revised protocol. Residual feed intakes (RFIs) as alternative indicators for feed utilization efficiency were included. (Co)variance components were estimated by EM-REML. Heritabilities for growth traits were between 0.26 and 0.47. Heritabilities for feed intakes and conversions ranged from 0.25 to 0.37 and from 0.03 to 0.29, respectively. Genetic variances and heritabilities were lower for the revised protocol. Highly positive genetic correlations of daily gain (DG) with feed intakes indicated selection on DG is expected to increase feed intake. Selection on feed conversion may lead to higher DG. The heritability estimates for RFIs ranged from 0.10 to 0.33 and were generally higher than corresponding estimates for feed conversion ratios. RFI of TDN showed positive genetic correlations with all feed intakes. The reduction of feed intakes could be expected through selection on the RFI without changing body size. RFIs were considered to be alternative indicators to improve feed utilization efficiency under the new performance test. [source]