Feeding efficiency and behavior of young Simmental bulls selected for high growth capacity: Comparison of bulls with high vs. low residual feed intake

This study evaluated the effect of differences in residual feed intake (RFI) of Charolaise candidate young bulls on feeding behavior and self-performance test results. Bulls were classified into high and low RFI (H-RFI, L-RFI) groups. Bulls were fed in a HOKOFARM system to measure individual animal intake and behavior. L-RFI bulls had significantly lower feed intakes (p = 0.002) and higher gain to feed ratio (p = 0.001), lower intake per day/kg DM (dry matter) (p = 0.002) and lower intake g/body weight/day (p < 0.001). L-RFI animals had lower visits number per day (p = 0.02), but spent longer time per visit (p = 0.02), and tended to have higher intake g/visit (p = 0.06) on feeders. The correlation between RFI and DMI (dry matter intake)/bodyweight/day as well as intake per day/kg were large and positive. Back-loin length and rump length, and moreover muzzle width and frame, showed negative correlations with RFI value. However, bulls with better RFI values associated with lower legs score. Results reveal that RFI was shown beneficial correlations with economically relevant self-performance traits. Further investigations are needed to seek additional indicator traits that are predictive for RFI.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual Feed Efficiency Monitoring of Charolaise Candidate Young Bulls in Relation to Feeding Behavior and Self-Performance Test Results

Holló

Nagy-Kiszlinger

Tossenberger

et al. 2021

“…Feed corresponds to a large part of the total costs of beef production and the adoption of selection criteria for feed efficiency by breeding programs has gradually increased around the world, making beef cattle production systems more profitable by reducing production costs and by increasing production [ 4 ]. In addition, improving feed efficiency has positive environmental impacts by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Feeding and Drinking Behavior on Performance and Carcass Traits in Beef Cattle

Pires

Reolon

Abduch

et al. 2022

Feed and water efficiency are important traits to improve beef cattle production’s economic and environmental sustainability. This study evaluated residual feed intake (RFI) and residual water intake (RWI) and their relationship with performance, ingestive behavior, and carcass traits in Caracu beef cattle. The data were analyzed using a generalized linear model with least squares means. The ingestive behavior, performance, and carcass traits were influenced by sex (p < 0.05). Males showed higher dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), mid-test metabolic weight (BW0.75), rib eye area, and rump fat thickness than females, besides spending more time drinking and eating. Low RFI animals exhibited higher DMI than high RFI animals. Low RWI animals ingested 3.89 L/d of water further than high RWI animals. The interaction between sex and RWI influenced the DMI, BW0.75, and backfat thickness. The ingestive behavior of low and high RFI animals was similar, although high RWI animals visited a smaller number of drinkers than low RWI animals. Water intake positively affects productive efficiency, and the combined use of RWI and RFI may help improve the selection of more efficient animals contributing to reducing the costs of beef cattle production and improving environmental sustainability.

“…They were fed with a total mixed ration (TMR) distributed ad libitum twice a day, which contained: ground corn, corn silage, sunflower and rapeseed meals, wheat straw, barley, dried beet pulp, wheat bran, soybean meal, and a mineral and vitamin mix. In addition, the diet chemical composition was defined as follows: 64.9% dry matter (DM), 13.5% crude protein, 6.3% ash, and 35.9% fiber (Neutral detergent fiber, NDF) [ 31 ]. During this period, they were also weighed and measured monthly.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For the morphological evaluation of spermatozoa, a smear was prepared by mixing 7 µL of raw semen with 90 µL of eosin–nigrosin solution [ 32 ]. Morphological characteristics of spermatozoa (percentage of normal and abnormal spermatozoa) were assessed using bright-field microscopy, at 1000× magnification (Orthoplan, Leitz, Germany), by counting at least 200 sperm cells as defined by Barth and Oko [ 31 ]. Spermatozoa abnormalities were grouped into two categories: primary and secondary, as described by the SFT.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Factors Affecting the Reproductive Efficiency of Italian Simmental Young Bulls

Pause

Crociati

Urli

et al. 2022

Self Cite

The objectives of the study aimed to evaluate the effect of weather conditions and scrotal circumference (SC) on standard semen characteristics of Italian Simmental young bulls (n = 577), all raised in the same performance station and sampled by the artificial vagina (AV) method. Considering the increasing SC, the results showed a significant increase in quantitative semen parameters (p < 0.05 and p < 0.0001, for sperm concentration and total number of spermatozoa, respectively); for every extra centimeter of SC, 17.5 × 106 spermatozoa/mL and 0.102 × 109 of total spermatozoa were produced. The age of the animal at semen collection (395 and 465 days) had similar positive effects. The effect of the average temperature humidity index (THI limits ≤40 and ≥70) in the previous 60, 30, and 10 days before the semen collection was also considered. Sixty days before the semen collection, the increasing THI increased both primary (p < 0.0001) and secondary (p < 0.0001) abnormalities while the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa decreased (p < 0.0001). Thirty and ten days before collection, the same effect on morphological traits was maintained, but total and progressive motility was also influenced (p < 0.01) with an unexpected increasing pattern. Thus, environmental conditions can influence semen quality during the entire spermatogenesis and results can guide future research on this breed.