scholarly journals Analysis of Body Weight and Feed Intake Curves in Selection Lines for Residual Feed Intake in Pigs

Author(s):  
Weiguo Cai ◽  
Huaiqing Wu ◽  
Jack C.M. Dekkers
2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 929-937 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Lucila Sobrinho ◽  
R.H. Branco ◽  
S.F.M. Bonilha ◽  
A.M. Castilhos ◽  
L.A. Figueiredo ◽  
...  

The objective of this work was to evaluate performance, efficiency parameters and phenotypic correlations among measurements of energy efficiency of Nellore cattle selected for post weaning weight and classified according to residual feed intake, calculated by the difference between observed and predicted intake, based on average metabolic body weight and average daily gain. Thus, animals were classified within three groups: high (> mean + 0.5 standard deviation, less efficient); medium (±0.5 standard deviation of the mean); and low (< mean - 0.5 standard deviation, more efficient) residual feed intake. No differences were observed at initial and final body weights, average daily gain and dry matter intake among groups. Animals with low residual feed intake also had greater feed efficiency, feed conversion and partial efficiency of growth and did not differ from the other animals regarding to relative growth rate and Kleiber ratio. Residual feed intake was significantly correlated to feed efficiency (-0.25), feed conversion (0.25), partial efficiency of growth (-0.37) and dry matter intake (0.16) but it did not present significant correlation with body weight (0.04), average daily gain (-0.02), relative growth rate (-0.03) and Kleiber ratio (-0.05). Significant correlations were found between feed conversion and initial body weight (0.34) and average daily gain (-0.46). Partial efficiency of growth presented significant correlation with all other efficiency parameters analyzed. Residual feed intake has high potential in productive efficiency, when compared to the other energy efficiency measurements, being independent of growth and size of the animals.


2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 489-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Basarab ◽  
D. McCartney ◽  
E. K. Okine ◽  
V. S. Baron

Two hundred and twenty-two yearling calves and their dams were used to examine the phenotypic (rp) relationships between progeny residual feed intake (RFI) and maternal productivity across 10 production cycles. Progeny RFI ranged from -3.95 to +2.72 kg as fed d-1 (SD = 0.94), while RFI adjusted for off-test backfat thickness (RFIadj), ranged from -2.48 to +1.53 kg as fed d-1 (SD = 0.88). Progeny RFI and RFIadj were unrelated to on-test age, body weight, growth rate, and ultrasound longissimus thoracis area and positively related to feed intake (rp = 0.51 to 0.53; P < 0.001), feed to gain ratio (rp = 0.44 to 0.46; P < 0.001), feeding behaviour traits (rp = 0.29 to 0.36; P < 0.001) and cow RFI (rp = 0.30, P < 0.05). Progeny RFI was positively related to measures of body fat (rp = 0.21 to 0.27; P < 0.05), but these relationships disappeared when RFI was adjusted for off-test backfat thickness. Cows that had produced LOW (≤ 0.5 SD), MEDIUM (± 0.5 SD) or HIGH (≥ 0.5 SD) RFIadj progeny were similar in pregnancy (95.6 vs. 95.3 vs. 96.0%, P = 0.90), calving (84.9 vs. 83.4 vs. 86.3%, P = 0.62) and weaning (81.5 vs. 80.2 vs. 82.3%, P = 0.79) rates. However, cows that produced HIGH RFIadj progeny had a higher twinning rate (3.77 vs. 0.35 vs. 0.00%, P < 0.001) and an increased calf death loss (8.06 vs. 4.24 vs. 4.02%, P = 0.10) compared with cows that produced MEDIUM or LOW RFIadj progeny. Cow body weight over 10 production cycles was similar at weaning, pre-calving and pre-breeding for dams that had produced LOW, MEDIUM and HIGH RFIadj progeny, and dams that produced LOW RFIadj progeny consistently averaged 2–3 mm more back fat thickness than dams that produced HIGH RFIadj progeny. Calf birth weight, pre-weaning ADG and 200-d weight, and cow production efficiency and calving interval were similar among dams that produced LOW, MEDIUM and HIGH RFIadj progeny. In addition, dams that produced LOW RFIadj progeny consumed less feed during their second trimester of pregnancy (10.9 vs. 11.6 vs. 12.2 kg DM d-1, P < 0.05), had lower RFI values (-0.05 vs. 0.44 vs. 1.88 kg as fed d-1, P = 0.018) and calved later in the year (96 vs. 90 vs. 91 d Julian, P < 0.001) than dams that produced MEDIUM and HIGH RFIadj progeny. These results showed that efficient RFI progeny and dams consumed less feed, had improved feed to gain ratio and spent less time in feed activity than inefficient cows and calves. In addition, cows that produced efficient calves were fatter, had fewer twins, less calf death loss and produced the same weight of calf weaned per cow exposed to breeding compared with cows that produced inefficient progeny. However, cows that produced efficient or low RFI progeny calved 5–6 d later in the year than cows that produced inefficient or high RFI progeny, indicating a need to monitor reproductive fitness in low RFI replacement heifers and breeding bulls. Key words: Residual feed intake, cow reproduction, lifetime production efficiency


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raizza Fátima Abadia Tulux Rocha ◽  
Andréa Roberto Duarte Lopes Souza ◽  
Maria Da Graça Morais ◽  
Mayara Mitiko Yoshihara Carneiro ◽  
Henrique Jorge Fernandes ◽  
...  

This study aimed to assess the performance, carcass traits, and non-carcass components of feedlot finished Texel crossbred lambs from different residual feed intake classes (RFI). Forty-seven uncastrated male Texel crossbred lambs (¾ Texel + ¼ Pantaneira) tested here were 4-month-old with an initial weight of 29.9 ± 5.5 kg. The lambs were confined for 70 days for individual dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily gain (ADG) assessment. The diet containing corn silage was provided as roughage, while the concentrate consisted of corn grain, soybean meal, urea, and mineral mixture with a 40:60 roughage to concentrate ratio and 76.34% total digestible nutrients (TDN). After confinement for 70 days, the lambs were slaughtered to assess carcass traits and non-carcass components. Based on the RFI, lambs were divided into three classes according to the standard deviation (sd): Positive RFI (inefficient, 0.5 above the mean), Negative RFI (efficient, 0.5 below the mean), and Medium RFI (intermediate). Classes with Negative (efficient) and Positive RFI (inefficient) showed no differences in ADG (0.321 vs 0.306 kg; P > 0.05). Dry matter intake (g d-1), and percentage of body weight (BW) differed significantly between the RFI classes (P < 0.05). Compared to lambs in the inefficient class, those in the efficient class (Negative RFI) showed a 9% reduction in DMI and had the same ADG. The lambs in either Positive or Negative RFI classes showed no weight differences between non-carcass components (P > 0.05). The RFI classes showed no differences in shrunk body weight, hot carcass weight, hot dressing, and weight of commercial cuts (P > 0.05). They showed no differences in neck, shoulder + shank, loin, rack, flank steak, rack cap off, and leg weights (P > 0.05). Our results indicate that improvement in feed efficiency, as a function of the RFI index, does not compromise performance and carcass traits of Texel crossbred lambs.


2015 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Manafiazar ◽  
J. A. Basarab ◽  
V. S. Baron ◽  
L. McKeown ◽  
R. R. Doce ◽  
...  

Manafiazar, G., Basarab, J. A., Baron, V. S., McKeown, L., Doce, R. R., Swift, M., Undi, M., Wittenberg, K. and Ominski, K. 2015. Effect of post-weaning residual feed intake classification on grazed grass intake and performance in pregnant beef heifers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 369–381. There is limited knowledge of how cattle tested for feed efficiency under drylot conditions perform when they graze on summer pasture. Residual feed intake adjusted for end of test backfat thickness (RFIfat) was determined on 171 beef crossbred heifers under drylot conditions over 2 yr using an automated system. Upon completion of the test, the 10 lowest and 10 highest RFIfat (–0.54±0.17 vs. 0.58±0.15 kg DM d−1) heifers in 2012, and the 14 lowest and 14 highest RFIfat (−0.47±0.16 vs. 0.53±0.19 kg DM d−1) heifers in 2013 were selected and placed on meadow bromegrass pasture to investigate the effect of RFIfat ranking on their grass intake and performance on the pasture. The pasture adaptation period (8 d in 2012 and 19 d in 2013) was followed by a pasture feed intake experiment during which heifers were dosed twice daily (0815 and 1415) with 500 g of C32-labeled feed pellet for 13 d (day 0 to 12) and fecal sampled twice daily (0815 and 1415) from day 8 to 12. Forage DM intake on pasture for each heifer was determined using the double alkane (C31/C32) methodology. High and low RFIfat heifers were similar in body weight (BW), backfat and rump fat thickness, and average daily gain (ADG) during the grazing trial period, except backfat thickness at the end of test period. However, low RFIfat heifers consumed 5.3% less forage when expressed as kg DM d−1 (8.20±0.08 vs. 8.66±0.09, P<0.001) and 5.1% less when expressed as a percentage of body weight (1.86±0.02 vs. 1.96±0.02% of BW, P<0.001) compared with high RFIfat heifers. RFIfat measured under drylot conditions in growing heifers was positively correlated to grazed RFIfat determined in pregnant heifers (rp=0.30, P=0.04). These results suggest that beef heifers classified as low RFIfat during the post-weaning drylot period had lower dry matter intake as heifers in their first pregnancy grazing tame pasture, with no negative impact on their body weight, back-fat thickness, and ADG compared with their high RFIfat herdmates.


2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wossenie Mebratie ◽  
Per Madsen ◽  
Rachel Hawken ◽  
Hélène Romé ◽  
Danye Marois ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The objectives of this study were to (1) simultaneously estimate genetic parameters for BW, feed intake (FI), and body weight gain (Gain) during a FI test in broiler chickens using multi-trait Bayesian analysis; (2) derive phenotypic and genetic residual feed intake (RFI) and estimate genetic parameters of the resulting traits; and (3) compute a Bayesian measure of direct and correlated superiority of a group selected on phenotypic or genetic residual feed intake. A total of 56,649 male and female broiler chickens were measured at one of two ages ($${\text{t}}$$ t or $${\text{t}} - 6$$ t - 6 days). BW, FI, and Gain of males and females at the two ages were considered as separate traits, resulting in a 12-trait model. Phenotypic RFI ($${\text{RFI}}_{\text{P}}$$ RFI P ) and genetic RFI ($${\text{RFI}}_{\text{G}}$$ RFI G ) were estimated from a conditional distribution of FI given BW and Gain using partial phenotypic and partial genetic regression coefficients, respectively. Results Posterior means of heritability for BW, FI and Gain were moderately high and estimates were significantly different between males and females at the same age for all traits. In addition, the genetic correlations between male and female traits at the same age were significantly different from 1, which suggests a sex-by-genotype interaction. Genetic correlations between $${\text{RFI}}_{\text{P}}$$ RFI P and $${\text{RFI}}_{\text{G }}$$ RFI G were significantly different from 1 at an older age but not at a younger age. Conclusions The results of the multivariate Bayesian analyses in this study showed that genetic evaluation for production and feed efficiency traits should take sex and age differences into account to increase accuracy of selection and genetic gain. Moreover, for communicating with stakeholders, it is easier to explain results from selection on $${\text{RFI}}_{\text{G}}$$ RFI G than selection on $${\text{RFI}}_{\text{P}}$$ RFI P , since $${\text{RFI}}_{\text{G}}$$ RFI G is genetically independent of production traits and it explains the efficiency of birds in nutrient utilization independently of energy requirements for production and maintenance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 184 ◽  
pp. 28-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakimeh Emamgholi Begli ◽  
Rasoul Vaez Torshizi ◽  
Ali Akbar Masoudi ◽  
Alireza Ehsani ◽  
Just Jensen

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emhimad A. Abdalla ◽  
Benjamin J. Wood ◽  
Christine F. Baes

Abstract Background Knowledge about potential functional relationships among traits of interest offers a unique opportunity to understand causal mechanisms and to optimize breeding goals, management practices, and prediction accuracy. In this study, we inferred the phenotypic causal networks among five traits in a turkey population and assessed the effect of the use of such causal structures on the accuracy of predictions of breeding values. Methods Phenotypic data on feed conversion ratio, residual feed intake, body weight, breast meat yield, and walking score in addition to genotype data from a commercial breeding population were used. Causal links between the traits were detected using the inductive causation algorithm based on the joint distribution of genetic effects obtained from a standard Bayesian multiple trait model. Then, a structural equation model was implemented to infer the magnitude of causal structure coefficients among the phenotypes. Accuracies of predictions of breeding values derived using pedigree- and blending-based multiple trait models were compared to those obtained with the pedigree- and blending-based structural equation models. Results In contrast to the two unconditioned traits (i.e., feed conversion ratio and breast meat yield) in the causal structures, the three conditioned traits (i.e., residual feed intake, body weight, and walking score) showed noticeable changes in estimates of genetic and residual variances between the structural equation model and the multiple trait model. The analysis revealed interesting functional associations and indirect genetic effects. For example, the structural coefficient for the path from body weight to walking score indicated that a 1-unit genetic improvement in body weight is expected to result in a 0.27-unit decline in walking score. Both structural equation models outperformed their counterpart multiple trait models for the conditioned traits. Applying the causal structures led to an increase in accuracy of estimated breeding values of approximately 7, 6, and 20% for residual feed intake, body weight, and walking score, respectively, and different rankings of selection candidates for the conditioned traits. Conclusions Our results suggest that structural equation models can improve genetic selection decisions and increase the prediction accuracy of breeding values of selection candidates. The identified causal relationships between the studied traits should be carefully considered in future turkey breeding programs.


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