RFI Testing on Pasture

[Angus In Texas]

Ok so obviously they can test RFI in a feedlot scenario by using either caylan gates or the growsafe system but I have heard that they are going to start testing animals on pasture. My question is how will they track the amount of intake? And won't the difference in protein in different grasses determine the amount of intake? Obviously with feed you can control the protein content fairly well.

 

[MikeC]

Ok so obviously they can test RFI in a feedlot scenario by using either caylan gates or the growsafe system but I have heard that they are going to start testing animals on pasture. My question is how will they track the amount of intake? And won't the difference in protein in different grasses determine the amount of intake? Obviously with feed you can control the protein content fairly well.

May be that they will be feeding "Green Chops"?

 

[smnherf]

I don't know how you could do an RFI test on pasture. The bulls I got back from MO had alot of tag on them as they didn't put any bedding down so as to not skew the intake data.

Brian

 

[KNERSIE]

Ok so obviously they can test RFI in a feedlot scenario by using either caylan gates or the growsafe system but I have heard that they are going to start testing animals on pasture. My question is how will they track the amount of intake? And won't the difference in protein in different grasses determine the amount of intake? Obviously with feed you can control the protein content fairly well.

You can't measure the intake, so there will be no RFI numbers or FCR.

You'll basically be testing which bulls do the best on the available feed. In SA we have what they call a Phase D test where the bulls are tested under range conditions, usually with a proteien supplement in the form of a lick. This gives you an idea which does better on your native forage, but that is about all it tells you.

They have a "feed convertion ratio in theory" called the Kleiber ratio where the ADG is expressed as function of the biological mass, which is supposed to give an indication of the efficiency of converting range to meat. This ratio has proved to leave a lot to be desired and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Academics need quantifiable data to use in a thesis to earn a Phd degree, whether the resultant EPD or index or ratio has any usefullness to the beef industry or not :roll:

 

[Angus In Texas]

Ok so obviously they can test RFI in a feedlot scenario by using either caylan gates or the growsafe system but I have heard that they are going to start testing animals on pasture. My question is how will they track the amount of intake? And won't the difference in protein in different grasses determine the amount of intake? Obviously with feed you can control the protein content fairly well.

You can't measure the intake, so there will be no RFI numbers or FCR.

You'll basically be testing which bulls do the best on the available feed. In SA we have what they call a Phase D test where the bulls are tested under range conditions, usually with a proteien supplement in the form of a lick. This gives you an idea which does better on your native forage, but that is about all it tells you.

They have a "feed convertion ratio in theory" called the Kleiber ratio where the ADG is expressed as function of the biological mass, which is supposed to give an indication of the efficiency of converting range to meat. This ratio has proved to leave a lot to be desired and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Academics need quantifiable data to use in a thesis to earn a Phd degree, whether the resultant EPD or index or ratio has any usefullness to the beef industry or not :roll:

The idea of calculating an RFI on pasture conditions is something I've been hearing about on the VSA news report on the radio. I really haven't heard much at all about it other than they are looking into developing a way to test it.

 

[Elder Statesman]

I just glanced over an article the other day where they were talking about this and are looking at testing fecal matter. Can't remember what publication that was in. I will see if I can find it.