Feed Efficiency in the Beef Industry

Feed Efficiency in the Beef Industry provides a thorough and concise overview of feed efficiency in beef cattle. It frames the great importance of feed efficiency to the industry and details the latest findings of the many scientific disciplines that intersect and aim to improve efficient and sustainable production of nutritious beef. The vast majority of production costs are directly tied to feed. With increased demand for grains to feed a rapidly increasing world population and to supply a new demand for alternative fuels, feed costs continue to increase. In recent years, the negative environmental impacts of inefficient feeding have also been realized; as such feed efficiency is an important factor in both economic viability and environmental sustainability of cattle production. Feed Efficiency in the Beef Industry covers a broad range of topics ranging from economic evaluation of feed efficiency to the physiological and genetic bases of efficient conversion of feed to high quality beef. Chapters also look at how a fuller understanding of feed efficiency is leading to new selective breeding efforts to develop more efficient cattle. With wide-ranging coverage from leading international researchers, Feed Efficiency will be a valuable resource for producers who wish to understand the complexities, challenges, and opportunities to reduce their cost of production, for students studying the topic and for researchers and professionals working in the beef industry.

Feed Efficiency in the Beef Industry provides a thoroughand concise overview of feed efficiency in beef cattle. Itframes the great importance of feed efficiency to the industry anddetails the latest findings of the many scientific disciplines thatintersect and aim to improve efficient and sustainable productionof nutritious beef. The vast majority of production costs aredirectly tied to feed. With increased demand for grains to feed arapidly increasing world population and to supply a new demand foralternative fuels, feed costs continue to increase. In recentyears, the negative environmental impacts of inefficient feedinghave also been realized; as such feed efficiency is an importantfactor in both economic viability and environmental sustainabilityof cattle production.Feed Efficiency in the Beef Industry covers a broad rangeof topics ranging from economic evaluation of feed efficiency tothe physiological and genetic bases of efficient conversion of feedto high quality beef. Chapters also look at how a fullerunderstanding of feed efficiency is leading to new selectivebreeding efforts to develop more efficient cattle.With wide-ranging coverage from leading internationalresearchers, Feed Efficiency will be a valuable resource forproducers who wish to understand the complexities, challenges, andopportunities to reduce their cost of production, for studentsstudying the topic and for researchers and professionals working inthe beef industry.

Contributors ixForeword xiPreface xiiiAcknowledgments xvIntroduction 1Rodney A. HillChapter 1 Input Factors Affecting Profitability: a Changing Paradigm and a Challenging Time 7Jason K. Ahola and Rodney A. HillChapter 2 Measuring Individual Feed Intake and Utilization in Growing Cattle 21D.H. (Denny) Crews, Jr. and Gordon E. CarstensChapter 3 Producer Awareness and Perceptions about Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle 29J.D. Wulfhorst, Stephanie Kane, Jason K. Ahola, John B. Hall, and Rodney A. HillChapter 4 Feed Efficiency in Different Management Systems: Cow-Calf and in the Feedyard 47Keela M. Retallick and Dan B. FaulknerChapter 5 Lessons from the Australian Experience 61Robert M. Herd and Paul F. ArthurChapter 6 Nutrition and Feed Efficiency of Beef Cattle 75Monty S. KerleyChapter 7 Genetic Improvement of Feed Efficiency 93Paul F. Arthur and Robert M. HerdChapter 8 Feed Efficiency and Animal Robustness 105Wendy M. RauwChapter 9 Interactions with Other Traits: Reproduction and Fertility 123John A. Basarab, Carolyn Fitzsimmons, C. Scott Whisnant, and Robert P. WettemannChapter 10 Feed Efficiency Interactions with Other Traits: Growth and Product Quality 145Rodney A. Hill and Jason K. AholaChapter 11 Estimating Feed Efficiency of Lactating Dairy Cattle Using Residual Feed Intake 159Erin E. Connor, Jana L. Hutchison, and H. Duane NormanChapter 12 Muscle and Adipose Tissue: Potential Roles in Driving Variation in Feed Efficiency 175Cassie M. Welch, Marcus McGee, Theresa A. Kokta, and Rodney A. HillChapter 13 Epigenetics and Effects on the Neonate That May Impact Feed Efficiency 199Allison M. Meyer, Joel S. Caton, Bret W. Hess, Stephen P. Ford, and Lawrence P. ReynoldsChapter 14 Hormonal Regulation of Feed Efficiency 225Michael E. Davis, Macdonald P. Wick, and Martin G. MaquivarChapter 15 Variation in Metabolism: Biological Efficiency of Energy Production and Utilization That Affects Feed Efficiency 251Walter G. Bottje and Gordon E. CarstensChapter 16 Modeling Feed Efficiency 275Roberto SainzIndex 287