Collecting Measures of Feed Intake

BIF reviews recommended guidelines for collecting feed intake.

by Troy Smith, field editor

MANHATTAN, Kan. (June 15, 2016) — Collection of beef cattle feed-intake data continues to increase. Because it is a consideration for evaluating beef production efficiency, more feed-intake data is being collected on-farm and through centralized testing facilities. Additionally, feed-intake data is being used for genetic evaluation. Consequently, the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) is in the process of updating its guidelines for collecting feed-intake data.

“The purpose of the guidelines is to maximize the use of available data, but maintain integrity through standardization,” said Robert Weaber in a presentation delivered during the BIF Annual Meeting and Symposium hosted June 14-17 in Manhattan, Kan.

Weaber, a beef geneticist at Kansas State University, serves on the committee charged with recommending appropriate revisions to the BIF Guidelines. He noted current recommendations include:

recording birth and weaning weights and dates;
cattle be not less than 240 days of age at the start of the test;
the range of test animal age be not more than 60 days;
a 21-day acclimation period prior to official test start;
analysis of diet by commercial laboratory;
a minimum of two weights be taken on test and two weights be taken off test; and
feed must be provided ad libitum.

According to Weaber, areas under review have included length of the acclimation period, length of the period for measurement of feed intake and weight gain, contemporary group definition, and use of data on calves produced via embryo transfer (ET). The most significant change addresses the length of time during which feed-intake measurements will be recorded.

“It appears there may be opportunity to shorten the recommended test length (within the 70-day feeding period) if we decouple feed-intake measurement from weight gain,” said Weaber. “We can collect data for shorter periods of time, because feed intake has been shown to be highly repeatable across the feeding period. Weight gain is not.”

Consequently, the committee suggested revising the guidelines regarding test-period length, shortening it to 35 days following a 21-day acclimation. A new addition to the guidelines calls for contemporary grouping by “weaning contemporary group” with no further subdivision.

Weaber said the final written committee recommendations will be submitted to the BIF board of directors in the fall.

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