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A new way to study cow profitability?
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<blockquote data-quote="Willow Springs" data-source="post: 618602" data-attributes="member: 9002"><p>DNA markers are shaky at best; they have only identified a few genes for each trait they are measuring; many more remain unknown. You could be culling animals that are actually more feed efficient than the ones you are keeping. ABS DNA tested their AI sires, and then did live progeny tests for the same traits. They found that their was very little correlation between the two tests. As an example; they top DNA feed efficiency bull was near the bottom and vice-versa; maybe not that dramatic but DNA is not a way to select your stock yet.</p><p></p><p>As far as what a producer can do to improve feed efficiency. Our local government station did a bunch of work on Net Feed Efficiency. Becasue they are a government station the cows were never really limit fed, and the effect of boss cows was nulified. They had weight and BCS values going back several years and then did some feed efficiency tests. The cows that tested the most efficient were also the heaviest and fattest at avery point in the production cycle over several years. Seems reasonable. In the real worls if you are limit feeding during the winter those big boss cows will get more and be bigger and fatter. If you are not limiting feed, or are grazing most of the year, this may be a viable way to select for feed efficiency. Also important to note that in all the tests they did with PB bulls, commercial steers and cows there wasn't any difference in breed efficiency. Also that a 2000 lb cow can be more feed efficient than a 1000 lb cow; the 2000 lb cow probably isn't as environmentally efficient though.</p><p></p><p>As fas as the original thread; there are studies going back at least 30 years that confirm that a smaller cow will wean a higher percentage of her bodyweight than a bigger cow. As cow/calf producers we need to balance our cow size with what we can sell into the marketplace to feeders and packers; if we go too far one way or the other we will profitability issues unless a person is direct marketing. Most PB breeders don't seem to have to follow that same rule; the government, universities, feedlots and packers have done a good job of pushing their performance agenda, and most cattleman as still under the false assumption that production equals profit.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Willow Springs, post: 618602, member: 9002"] DNA markers are shaky at best; they have only identified a few genes for each trait they are measuring; many more remain unknown. You could be culling animals that are actually more feed efficient than the ones you are keeping. ABS DNA tested their AI sires, and then did live progeny tests for the same traits. They found that their was very little correlation between the two tests. As an example; they top DNA feed efficiency bull was near the bottom and vice-versa; maybe not that dramatic but DNA is not a way to select your stock yet. As far as what a producer can do to improve feed efficiency. Our local government station did a bunch of work on Net Feed Efficiency. Becasue they are a government station the cows were never really limit fed, and the effect of boss cows was nulified. They had weight and BCS values going back several years and then did some feed efficiency tests. The cows that tested the most efficient were also the heaviest and fattest at avery point in the production cycle over several years. Seems reasonable. In the real worls if you are limit feeding during the winter those big boss cows will get more and be bigger and fatter. If you are not limiting feed, or are grazing most of the year, this may be a viable way to select for feed efficiency. Also important to note that in all the tests they did with PB bulls, commercial steers and cows there wasn't any difference in breed efficiency. Also that a 2000 lb cow can be more feed efficient than a 1000 lb cow; the 2000 lb cow probably isn't as environmentally efficient though. As fas as the original thread; there are studies going back at least 30 years that confirm that a smaller cow will wean a higher percentage of her bodyweight than a bigger cow. As cow/calf producers we need to balance our cow size with what we can sell into the marketplace to feeders and packers; if we go too far one way or the other we will profitability issues unless a person is direct marketing. Most PB breeders don't seem to have to follow that same rule; the government, universities, feedlots and packers have done a good job of pushing their performance agenda, and most cattleman as still under the false assumption that production equals profit. [/QUOTE]
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