Effects of incorporating dry matter intake and residual feed intake into a selection index for dairy cattle using deterministic modeling

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of incorporating dry matter intake and residual feed intake into a selection index for dairy cattle using deterministic modeling

AU - Houlahan, Kerry

AU - Schenkel, Flavio S.

AU - Hailemariam, Dagnachew

AU - Lassen, Jan

AU - Kargo, Morten

AU - Cole, John B.

AU - Connor, Erin E.

AU - Wegmann, Silvia

AU - Oliveira, Gerson A.

AU - Miglior, Filippo

AU - Fleming, Allison

AU - Chud, Tatiane C.S.

AU - Baes, Christine F.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - The inclusion of feed efficiency in the breeding goal for dairy cattle has been discussed for many years. The effects of incorporating feed efficiency into a selection index were assessed by indirect selection (dry matter intake) and direct selection (residual feed intake) using deterministic modeling. Both traits were investigated in three ways: (1) restricting the trait genetic gain to zero, (2) applying negative selection pressure, and (3) applying positive selection pressure. Changes in response to selection from economic and genetic gain perspectives were used to evaluate the impact of including feed efficiency with direct or indirect selection in an index. Improving feed efficiency through direct selection on residual feed intake was the best scenario analyzed, with the highest overall economic response including favorable responses to selection for production and feed effi-ciency. Over time, the response to selection is cumulative, with the potential for animals to reduce consumption by 0.16 kg to 2.7 kg of dry matter per day while maintaining production. As the selection pressure increased on residual feed intake, the response to selection for production, health, and fertility traits and body condition score became increasingly less favorable. This work provides in-sight into the potential long-term effects of selecting for feed efficiency as residual feed intake.

AB - The inclusion of feed efficiency in the breeding goal for dairy cattle has been discussed for many years. The effects of incorporating feed efficiency into a selection index were assessed by indirect selection (dry matter intake) and direct selection (residual feed intake) using deterministic modeling. Both traits were investigated in three ways: (1) restricting the trait genetic gain to zero, (2) applying negative selection pressure, and (3) applying positive selection pressure. Changes in response to selection from economic and genetic gain perspectives were used to evaluate the impact of including feed efficiency with direct or indirect selection in an index. Improving feed efficiency through direct selection on residual feed intake was the best scenario analyzed, with the highest overall economic response including favorable responses to selection for production and feed effi-ciency. Over time, the response to selection is cumulative, with the potential for animals to reduce consumption by 0.16 kg to 2.7 kg of dry matter per day while maintaining production. As the selection pressure increased on residual feed intake, the response to selection for production, health, and fertility traits and body condition score became increasingly less favorable. This work provides in-sight into the potential long-term effects of selecting for feed efficiency as residual feed intake.

KW - Dairy cattle

KW - Feed efficiency

KW - Residual feed intake

KW - Selection index

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85104365097&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/ani11041157

DO - 10.3390/ani11041157

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 33920730

AN - SCOPUS:85104365097

SN - 2076-2615

VL - 11

JO - Animals

JF - Animals

IS - 4

M1 - 1157

ER -