Producers in every sector of the Cattle industry are facing rising costs, but none that impact the bottom line more than the cost of feed. To maintain profitability, producers must be able to identify genetic lines that provide the most feed efficient animals possible.

Bovigen is addressing this ever increasing need with a true technological breakthrough, the Industry’s first and only DNA test that can identify an animal’s genetic ability to efficiently convert feed.

*     GeneSTAR® Feed Efficiency consists of four markers which together identify as much as a 15% difference in daily feed consumption with no affect on other traits like Average Daily Gain, Carcass Weight, Quality Grade or Yield Grade

*     Producers can use the GeneSTAR® Feed Efficiency test to identify up to a $50 difference in feed cost between animals when ration costs are at $165/ton   

*     The GeneSTAR® Feed Efficiency Panel is based on discovery and validation work on thousands of cattle utilizing the trait of Net Feed Intake, sometimes also called residual feed intake or net feed efficiency


 

GeneSTAR® Feed Efficiency is based on Net Feed Intake (NFI)

 
NFI is the difference between an animal’s actual feed intake and the amount of feed an animal is expected to eat based on its size, composition and growth rate.

Calves that eat less than expected will have a negative NFI

Negative NFI = Superior Feed Efficiency

Calves that eat more than expected will have a positive NFI

Positive NFI = Inferior Feed Efficiency

 Whether yours is a cow calf operation where feed costs typically make up more than 65% of the total variable costs or a feedyard where a 20% improvement in feed conversion can affect profitability by more than $60/hd; feed efficiency is a trait that directly affects the bottom line.

           DFI by stars

 

As can be seen in the graph, selecting for animals with more stars for feed efficiency can dramatically reduce the lbs of feed consumed per day. This study showed a difference of as much as 4.15 lbs difference in feed consumed per day between 2 STAR and 8 STAR animals. With a ration cost of $175/ton and on feed for 150 days, the difference between a 2 STAR and an 8 STAR animal is $54.47.

 
NFI versus Feed Conversion Ratio

 
The majority of current efforts to improve feed efficiency (FE), the amount of beef produced per unit of feed input, or as it is often called feed conversion ratio (FCR), are focused largely on non-genetic tools such as growth promoters and feed additives.  The best genetic tool that has been available to the industry is the FCR’s available through various Bull Tests. But, while the Bull Test FCR data is very valuable – it is expensive and cumbersome to obtain and is difficult to use in comparing bulls from different Bull Test Stations or even from different years at the same station.

 Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR = Average Feed intake ÷ average daily gain) was commonly used in the past as a measure of feed efficiency but it is a gross efficiency measure which has fallen out of favor as a genetic selection tool because selected lines often had higher weight gains but no reduction in feed intake. The feedlot sector however continues to use FCR to calculate cost of gain for a pen of finished animals at closeout, which is an important economic trait in the feedlot.

 NFI has been proven to be a better trait than FCR for improving True Feed Efficiency.  Since FCR is a ratio of lbs of consumption versus lbs of gain.  It is possible to improve this ratio by improving gain with no impact on True Feed Efficiency.  This generally results in heavier carcass weights and heavier mature size, both of which are often a negative in terms of reducing the cost of producing beef.

Interpreting the Results

GPD 

As with all results from Bovigen, the GeneSTAR® Feed Efficiency results are expressed as both STARS and a Genetic Progeny Difference (GPD).  The STARS represent the results for each individual marker and are essential in making mating decisions.  The GPD represents the true genetic merit of the combination of markers and is created through analysis of previously tested populations of animals. 

 In the case of GeneSTAR® Feed Efficiency, the GPD is expressed as fewer lbs of feed eaten per day.  As such, a more negative number means a more efficient animal.  In other words, an animal with STAR results of 2,2,0,2 and a GPD® of -3.48 will eat 3 lbs less feed each day than an animal with STAR results of 0,0,2,0 and a GPD® of -0.48.

 For additional information regarding GeneSTAR® Feed Efficiency, you can download the following document.

 
Feed Efficiency Summary Document

 



 
   
 


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