Feed efficiency and genetics. My context. Feed costs important for farmer. History. Roel Veerkamp. Globally feed efficiency important

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1 My context Coordinate genetic evaluations NL&FL Feed efficiency and genetics Prof. at Wageningen UR, NMBU & SRUC Roel Veerkamp Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre Wageningen UR Dept. of Animal and Agricultural Sciences, NMBU One of my hobbies: Globally feed efficiency important Feeding 9 billion people within the carrying capacity of planet earth Importance feed efficiency Twice more with twice less Feed costs important for farmer History Journal of Heredity (1911) os-6: Concentrates Buildings labour etc. Forages - Accountancy - Feeding system - Production level - Local circumstances - Young stock

2 Role animal breeding Animal breeding -0,02 kg/kg per year Broilers Faster growth Twice as big at slaughter, yet requires less feed Dairy cattle breeding indirect selection Quicker to same weight, less maintenance cost Erdman, Increasing productivity: efficiency plateauing? 2 Improved longevity: better efficiency Percentage of feed used on average (Erdman, 2013): Growing heifer 24% Lactating cow 72% Dry cow 4% Short life -> more feed used for young stock Van de Haar 2013; Spurlock et al

3 Percentage energy used Smaller size/weight: better efficiency Live weight Growth Maintenance costs Common mix-up? Well grown heifer at first calving A large cow 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Energy use for a cow giving 30 kg milk per day Weight of the cow (kg) Maintenance Milk yield Breeding for feed efficiency more directly? Challenge 1: Progeny testing for feed intake Challenge 2: Breeding goal and energy balance Pedigree Phenotypes Intake Body condition Nett feed efficiencies Available energy Milk Maintenance Reproduction Health Growth Breeding value for selecting bulls Percentages from Erdman, Solution 1: Genomic selection Solutions to challenge 1: Progeny testing for feed intake Cows with feed intake records and DNA Bulls with DNA Breeding value for feed intake 3

4 Solution 2: GS + collaboration How many cows? 1. RobustMilk 2. Australasian RFI project 3. gdmi 4. RFI: Michael VanderHaar 5. FUNC (Feed Utilization in Nordic Cattle) 19 Solution 3: Predictor traits Solution 4: Technology to measure intake Energy sinks: milk yield and body weight, recorded on many daughters 1) Breeding value for feed intake 2) Use NIR of feed and manure to estimate intake/digestibility 3) Other sensors like GPS / ruminating/ Breeding value for feed intake Side effects of selection for yield Solutions to challenge 2: Breeding goal and energy balance Genetic group High Low Milk yield % 62% 71% Intake % Weight gain CS change Experiments at Langhill, Hillsborough, Lelystad, Moorepark 4

5 Solution 1: Definitions feed efficiency Solution 2: Multi-trait selection Many breeding values available for health, fertility and body condition score; make breeding with care easier Only select for feed efficiency in the context of health, body condition score and fertility! 26 Implementation CRV/Wageningen UR in Better Life Efficiency index All theory has become practical reality through breeding values for bulls! Australia Feed saved index Dutch national publication of breeding value for feed intake Dutch breeding values for feed intake (DMI) Cow data Genomic prediction EBV DMI on few daughters Predictors on many daughters April 2016: Ca 55,437 feed intake records, on 2,249 cows with 2,922 lactations (1 to 3 only used) Ca cows and many sires genotyped Published breeding value DMI lactation 1, 2 and 3 For 2016: Ca 77,828 feed intake records, on 3,214 cows with 4,424 lactations (1 to 3 only used) 5

6 Genomic breeding value DMI (1) Add predictors (2) SKALSUMER SUNNY BOY DELTA CLEITUS JABOT EASTLAND CASH ETAZON CELSIUS DOWNALANE CELLO F16 ROCKET C ETAZON LABELLE CARLIN M IVANHOE BELL BIS-MAY TRADITION CLEITUS FREEBROOK SEXATION AMOS ETAZON LORD LILY Genetic correlations DMI with yield traits: around 0.6 LW = 0.29 X Stature X Body Depth X Chest Width X BCS X Rump width Dutch bulls with known DNA ( SNP) Genetic correlation DMI in lactation 1, 2 and 3 with LW: 0.67, 0.45, Breeding value DMI (2) Breeding goal (3) Range: 3 kg DMI per day Reliability: above 60% Include breeding value in INET and NVI Current INET: Inet2015 = 0,3 lactose +2,1 fat +4,1 protein large important differences and reliable BV Future INET: Inet2017 = 0,5 lactose + 2,7 fat + 5,4 protein 60,2 kg dry matter intake NVI (total index) 34 Impact feed intake in breeding goals Summary Unnecessary bigger/heavier cows or breeds get penalised! When genomic prediction accuracy is increasing Direct selection for feed efficiency Genetic improvement for feed efficiency is very important Challenges Measuring individual feed intake Change focus from productivity to efficiency Feed efficiency is part of a broader breeding goal, and broader system. Not a trait on its own. Important steps made in last few years! 35 6