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The importance of body composition in explaining variation in feed conversion efficiency and residual feed intake between meat sheep at two different ages

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

S A Knott ,
L J Cummins ,
B J Leury  and
F R Dunshea
S A Knott*
Affiliation:
Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic) Department of Primary Industries - Hamilton Centre, Hamilton, Victoria, Australia
L J Cummins
Affiliation:
Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic) Department of Primary Industries - Hamilton Centre, Hamilton, Victoria, Australia
B J Leury
Affiliation:
Faculty of Land & Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
F R Dunshea
Affiliation:
Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic) Department of Primary Industries - Werribee Centre, Werribee, Victoria, Australia
*
Email: stephanie.knott@dpi.vic.gov.au
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Extract

Residual feed intake (RFI) is a measure of feed efficiency calculated as the difference between an animal’s actual intake and its expected intake based on its liveweight and growth rate over a specified period of time (Richardson, Herd et al. 2002). The efficiency with which an animal utilises energy during growth, is dependent on a number of physiological factors including body composition and the relative proportions of lean tissue mass (LTM) and fat tissue mass (FTM), due to differences in the energy cost of depositing and maintaining these tissues. Protein or lean tissue is continually degraded and resynthesised and thus the rate at which this occurs may contribute to the variation in energy required by an animal for maintenance and growth (Archer, Richardson et al. 1999). The objective of this work was to determine the relationship between feed conversion ratio (FCR, kg feed:kg gain) and residual feed intake (RFI) with body composition in rams at six months of age (6mo), and then again in the same rams at thirteen months of age (13mo).

Type
Poster presentations
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2006 , March 2006 , pp. 153
Copyright
Copyright © 2016 The American Society of International Law

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References

Archer, JA, Richardson, EC, Herd, RM, Arthur, PF (1999) Potential for selection to improve efficiency of feed use in beef cattle: a review. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50: 147-161.Google Scholar
Richardson, EC, Herd, RM, Colditz, I, Archer, JA, Arthur, PF (2002) Blood cell profiles of steer progeny from parents selected for and against residual feed intake. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 42: 901-908.Google Scholar