Residual feed intake adjusted for backfat thickness and feeding frequency is independent of fertility in beef heifers

Abstract

Basarab, J. A., Colazo, M. G., Ambrose, D. J., Novak, S., McCartney, D. and Baron, V. S. 2011. Residual feed intake adjusted for backfat thickness and feeding frequency is independent of fertility in beef heifers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 91: 573–584. This study examined the effects of residual feed intake (RFI), RFI adjusted for off-test backfat thickness (RFIfat) and RFI adjusted for off-test backfat thickness and feeding event frequency (RFIfat & activity) on heifer fertility and productivity. Beef heifers (n=190) were monitored for individual daily feed intake and feeding event activity over 108–112 d using the GrowSafe System® and assessed for age at puberty based on plasma progesterone concentration. Individual animal daily feed intake, feeding event activity and off-test backfat thickness were then used to calculate RFI, RFIfat and RFIfat & activity and group heifers as either negative ([−], RFI<0.0) or positive ([+], RFI≥0.0) for RFI. Heifers averaged 298 kg (SD=34) in body weight, were 276 days of age (SD=19) at the start of test, grew at 0.90 kg d−1 (SD=0.21), consumed 7.62 kg DM head−1 d−1 (SD=0.84) and had a feed conversion ratio of 8.93 (SD=2.43). Age (351 d, SD=43) and weight (367.3 kg, SD=45.0) at puberty were similar between [−] and [+] RFI heifers, but age at puberty was delayed in [−] RFIfat (P=0.04) and RFIfat & activity (P=0.08) heifers compared with [+] RFIfat and RFIfat & activity heifers. Efficient or [−] RFI heifer exhibited a lower pregnancy (76.84 vs. 86.32%, P=0.09) and calving rate (72.63 vs. 84.21%, P=0.05) compared with [+] RFI heifers. These differences were partially removed in [−] RFIfat and completely removed in [−] RFIfat & activity compared with their [+] RFI counterparts (pregnancy rate, 80.85 vs. 82.29%, P=0.80; calving rate, 75.53 vs. 81.25%, P=0.34). No differences were observed between efficient and inefficient heifers in calving difficulty, average calving date, age at first calving, calf birth weight, calf pre-weaning ADG, calf weaning weight and heifer productivity. However, [+] RFI heifers exhibited a 1.9-fold higher calf death loss compared with [−] RFI heifers (11.11% vs. 5.71%, P=0.24). This difference was more pronounced in [+] RFIfat and [+] RFIfat & activity heifers, which exhibited 2.2-fold (11.84% vs. 5.33%, P=0.15) and 3.0-fold (12.66% vs. 4.17%, P=0.06) higher calf death loss compared with [−] RFI heifers. There was no relationship of RFI adjusted for backfat thickness and feeding activity on fertility traits indicating that backfat thickness and feeding activity may be associated with feed intake and should be considered when selecting heifers for improved feed efficiency.