Genetic and Environmental Relationships Among Efficiency, Yield, Consumption and Weight of Holstein Cows

Genetic parameters for feed intake and efficiency in lactating beef cows

“…The heritability of RFC of 0.23 for Hereford was similar to estimates reported previously, including estimates of 0.2-{.6 in laying hens (Luiting 1987), 0.19 in lactating dairy heifers (van Arendonk 1991), 0.224.25 in growing dairy heifers (Korver et al 1987(Korver et al , 1991, and 0.28 in growing cattle (Koch et al 1963). Korver et al (1991) found that computing residual feed intake by using standard feed requirements for maintenance and daily gain using Agricultural Research (Mason etal.1957;Hooven et al 1968;Hooven et al 1972;Buttazzoni and Mao 1989 …”

Dual‐purpose selection in dairy cattle

“…These estimates are more similar to those in Table 2, except that the 0.79 for protein percent is higher than the 0.50 suggested by the literature. Heritability estimates of feed intake are few; the value found here (0.49) is similar to others from subsets of the present data (HOOVEN et al 1968(HOOVEN et al ,1972.…”

Feed Efficiency of Dairy Cows During First Lactation

“…Corrig6e en fonction des covariables, la production des Holstein canadiennes (CH) et amdricaines (USH) 6tait la plus forte, suivie de la Rouge norv6gienne (NR), puis de Berglund and Dannell 1987;Gibson 1987 Stone et al 1960;Dickinson et al 1969;Hooven et al 1969). The correlations between efficiency and energy intake from forage or grain is much lower and may be near zero (Stone et al 1960;Hooven et al 1968). Correlations ofbody weight and body weight changes with yield in early lactation are high (Hooven et al 1968;Lin et al 1985) but those between efficiency and weight are low, similar to our results with heifers (Lee et al 1988).…”

“…The correlations between efficiency and energy intake from forage or grain is much lower and may be near zero (Stone et al 1960;Hooven et al 1968). Correlations ofbody weight and body weight changes with yield in early lactation are high (Hooven et al 1968;Lin et al 1985) but those between efficiency and weight are low, similar to our results with heifers (Lee et al 1988). Miller et al (1973) found that first lactation energy intake, milk yield and efficiency were positively related to weight near freshening and negatively related to weight near the end of lactation in feeding according to nutrient requirements.…”