Economic Aspects of Breeding for Yield and Quality Traits in Forage Maize

Utz, H. Friedrich; Melchinger, Albrecht E.; Seitz, Günter; Mistele, M.; Zeddies, J.

doi:10.1111/j.1439-0523.1994.tb00658.x

Cited by 15 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The coefficient of genetic variation for net energy content was 3.9%. This value was about four times higher than the one observed by Utz et al (1994) for in vitro estimated metabolizable energy content of early maize hybrids, the average value of which was about twice as high. The early and medium-early registered hybrids chosen for these experiments with dairy cows represented most of the available genotypic range of variation between hybrids for digestibiUty and energy values.…”

Section: Feeding Value Traits Of Hybrids From Measurements With Standcontrasting

confidence: 62%

“…As pointed out by Utz et al (1994), the maize breeding traits of greatest economic importance at high animal performance levels, are those related to the energy content of the plant rather than those related to the plant yield. But at low animal performance levels, forage yield appeared as an important economic trait.…”

Section: Comparison Of 'Rhl62' 'Rhl85' and 'Eperon'mentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Numerous companies have now added to the usual agronomic breeding criteria an assessment of the digestibility and/or nutritive value of new silage hybrids. From an evaluation of a selection index based on genetic and economic data, Utz et al (1994) concluded that when breeding simultaneously for metabolizable energy content and metabolizable energy yield, the weight of each of these parameters depended on the level of animal performance. For a digestibiUty assessment, breeders most often use an enzymatic solubility, or a Tilley and Terry (1963) rumen fluid test, after near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) calibration.…”

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Genetic variation in the feeding efficiency of maize genotypes evaluated from experiments with dairy cows

et al. 1995

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Genetic vadation in the feeding efficiency of maize genotypes was evaluated from experiments with dairy cows. Maize genotypes were chosen to represent a range of digestibilities from previous experiments with standard sheep.The vadation in milk yield observed with dairy cows fed genotypes with low or high digestibilities or energy values was about 1.0-2.0 kg per animal per day. Moreover, the range of vadation in body weight was about 10-30 kg during the 3 months ofthe experiments. Hybrids with similar energy values had a similar effect on milk yield, but the intake of each hybdd could be very different when they were fed to dairy cows, even if no difference in intake had been observed in sheep. The higher silage maize intake of 'DK265' was mostly converted into a body weight gain rather than an increased milk yield, probably because the milk yield potential of the animals was soon reached. It appeared that those hybrids whose predicted energy value from sheep measurements was low led to relatively low performances in cows. Dairy cow performances also appeared to be related to the enzymatic solubility values of the whole plants.For maize breeders, the prediction of hybdd efficiency in dairy cow rearing must include digestibility and ingestibility factors. The most important challenge for maize breeders now will probably be the adjustment of a criterion for predicting intake because the stover digestibility and the starch content can be predicted reliably with the use of NIRS calibrations.Maize is nowadays a major forage crop for dairy cattle, and more than 3 300 000 ha are cropped in the European Union for silage-making. Silage maize is used as an energy source and its low protein content is easily corrected with soya or sunflower cattle cakes, as well as lucerne pellets. For a long time, breeders and farmers relied on the assumption that a good grain maize was also the most suitable for silage. But genetic variation in digestibiUty and energy value has been clearly demonstrated among experimental and registered hybrids. As reported by Deinum et al. (1984), Dijkstra and Becker (1960) probably performed one of the first in vivo digestion trials with standard sheep in digestibiUty crates. DigestibiUty of organic matter (DOM) of observed silages ranged from 59.2 to 72.7%. Andrieu and Demarquilly (1974), Gallais et al. (1976), Deinum et al. (1984 and Barriere et al. (1991) reported similar results, but with a narrower range of variation. However, the last two studies also reported values for brown midrib {bm2>) maize hybrids, the DOM of which neared around 4 points more than the best normal maize silages. Variation in DOM, digestibility of crude fibre (DCF) and UFL was investigated with standard sheep on a much broader genetic basis, by Barriere et al. (1992) (where UFL is the INRA fodder energy unit for milk production (Jarrige 1988) equivalent to 7.11 MJ/kg DM). Observed values ranged between 65.1 and 73.5% for DOM, 44.0 and 62.2% for DCF, and 0.79 and 0.94 for UFL, when investigating early and medium-early register...

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Section: Feeding Value Traits Of Hybrids From Measurements With Standcontrasting

confidence: 62%

Section: Comparison Of 'Rhl62' 'Rhl85' and 'Eperon'mentioning

confidence: 98%

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confidence: 99%

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Genetic variation in the feeding efficiency of maize genotypes evaluated from experiments with dairy cows

et al. 1995

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“…In particular, relative economic weights for MFY and DMY need to be determined for the construction of appropriate selection indices, adapting a similar approach as for forage maize Utz et al 1994). Moreover, the relationship between line per se and testcross performance deserves further research in order to optimize schemes for biogas maize breeding.…”

Section: Implications For Biogas Maize Breedingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding maize as biogas substrate in Central Europe: I. Quantitative-genetic parameters for testcross performance

et al. 2011

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Biofuels have gained importance recently and the use of maize biomass as substrate in biogas plants for production of methane has increased tremendously in Germany. The objectives of our research were to (1) estimate variance components and heritability for different traits relevant to biogas production in testcrosses (TCs) of maize, (2) study correlations among traits, and (3) discuss strategies to breed maize as a substrate for biogas fermenters. We evaluated 570 TCs of 285 diverse dent maize lines crossed with two flint single-cross testers in six environments. Data were recorded on agronomic and quality traits, including dry matter yield (DMY), methane fermentation yield (MFY), and methane yield (MY), the product of DMY and MFY, as the main target trait. Estimates of variance components showed general combining ability (GCA) to be the major source of variation. Estimates of heritability exceeded 0.67 for all traits and were even much greater in most instances. Methane yield was perfectly correlated with DMY but not with MFY, indicating that variation in MY is primarily determined by DMY. Further, DMY had a larger heritability and coefficient of genetic variation than MFY. Hence, for improving MY, selection should primarily focus on DMY rather than MFY. Further, maize breeding for biogas production may diverge from that for forage production because in the former case, quality traits seem to be of much lower importance.

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“…As pointed out by Utz et al (1994), the greatest economic maize breeding traits, at high animal performance levels, are those related to the energy content of the plant, rather than those related to plant yield. But, at low animal performance levels, forage yield appeared as an important economic trait.…”

Section: Early Hybridsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic variation in the feeding efficiency of maize genotypes evaluated from experiments with fattening bulls

1995

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Summary — Genetic variation in the feeding efficiency of maize genotypes was evaluated from experiments with fattening bulls. Maize genotypes were chosen to represent a range of digestibilities from previous experiments with standard sheep. The variation in daily gains observed when bulls were fattened with hybrids of low digestibilities or high energy values was about 65 g per animal. When fed to bulls, the voluntary silage maize intake could be different in hybrids with similar energy values. Thus, differences in feeding efficiency of maize hybrids were related both to digestibility and ingestibility, especially for late hybrids among which variations for digestibility appeared lower than among earlier ones. As observed with brown-midrib (bm3) hybrids, genotypes with a greater digestibility and/or ingestibility might allow a reduced supply of energy-giving concentrates in the diet. Bull performances appeared to be related to both sheep digestibility estimates and the enzymatic solubility values of the whole plants, but this link could have been overestimated due to the similarity among hybrids in grain and dry-matter content of the silages. For maize breeders, the prediction of hybrid efficiency in cattle rearing must include both digestibility and ingestibility factors. Because the stover digestibility and the starch content can be predicted reliably with the use of NIRS (near infrared reflectance spectroscopy) calibration, the most important challenge for maize breeders in the future will probably be the development of a criterion for the intake prediction.

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Economic Aspects of Breeding for Yield and Quality Traits in Forage Maize

Cited by 15 publications

References 12 publications

Genetic variation in the feeding efficiency of maize genotypes evaluated from experiments with dairy cows

Genetic variation in the feeding efficiency of maize genotypes evaluated from experiments with dairy cows

Breeding maize as biogas substrate in Central Europe: I. Quantitative-genetic parameters for testcross performance

Genetic variation in the feeding efficiency of maize genotypes evaluated from experiments with fattening bulls

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