Abstract

A literature review and simulation study is presented to investigate the potential role of metabolic feed efficiency in dairy cattle breeding programmes. Metabolic efficiency is generally calculated as the difference between actual feed intake and expected feed requirements and as a result is a residual term, hence it is often referred to as residual feed intake (RFI). There is evidence of genetic variation in RFI in poultry, sheep and beef cattle. Heritability estimates inbeef cattle are moderate (0.14 to 0.43). Heritability estimates in dairy cattle range from zero (no genetic variation) to moderate (0.38). RFI is positively genetically correlated with feed intake, so more efficient animals tend to eat less. Information is sparse, but suggests there is no genetic correlation between milk production and RFI. Genetic correlations between health and fertility traits and RFI in cattle have not been established, but evidence frommice and pigs suggests unfavourable correlations between RFI and fertility. Estimating the genetic relationships between RFI and health and fertility in dairy cattle is required. The identification of genetic markers that explain sizeable variation in RFI, or an easily measured correlated trait would be the preferred options to enable selection for RFI in dairy cattle, ideally breeding values for RFI would be estimated and included as part of a multiple-trait selection index.

LR, McNaughton, and JE Pryce

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 67, Wanaka, 392-398, 2007