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feed efficiency

Grow safe individual feed consumption

measurement system at pmb

weight for each bunk each second 24/7 and assigns the feed
disappearance to that animal. The information is transmitted
wirelessly to a Data Acquisition Computer where it is stored.
At the end of the test, the quantity of feed that each
animal should have eaten for his weight and gain is
calculated and compared to the quantity actually eaten. If
the animal ate less than expected, he is efficient. If he ate
more than expected, he is inefficient.
These differences between expected and actual feed
consumption are called residual feed intake (rfi).
negative rfi animals are the efficient ones.
Grow Safe Individual Feed Consumption Measurement System
We have since tested 34 groups of bull and heifer calves
Exploding feed costs have made feed efficiency a cattle through this system. In 2009 and 2010 we had 3 outliers
industry priority. Feed is the largest component of our cow for feed efficiency that we have since used heavily in our
herd expense. Its impact on profitability is huge! A high breeding programs. These bulls, PMB Mr RFI, PMB Total
degree of heritability allows rapid progress to be made Answer, and PMB Ultimate Answer each have had more than
thru selection. Studies to date have shown that selecting for 70 progeny tested through this system. Although these bulls
efficiency has immediate impact, and the impact is on the have been mated to a wide genetic base of cows, about 90%
cow herd as well as in the feedlot. The Challenge has been of the sons and daughters of these bulls have also tested as
the limitation of and the high cost of collecting the data RFi Negative. Grand Sons and Grand Daughters have also
needed to measure efficiency. proven to be RFI Negative indicating that Metabolic Feed
In 2008 we took a major step forward in measuring feed efficiency is HiGHlY HeRitABle!
efficiency with the installation of a Grow Safe Individual We are one of only a handful of Privately Owned and
Feed Consumption Measurement System. Funded operations in the USA, which has the capability of
This system uses an electronic identity tag to record testing individual bulls for FEED EFFICIENCY. We urge you
who is at each individual feed unit. The individual feed to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented in
units are sitting on load bars. A micro processer records a this sale to iNcReAse your PRoFitABilitY!
How to use the feed efficiency information

feed efficiency epds of feed, Bull A’s progeny would give you 32 more lbs./calf to
Because the Individual Feed Intake Test Calculations sell with the same feed cost as the progeny of Bull B.
did not allow the test results to be compared between tests, These EPDs are updated following the completion of
PMB has submitted its test data to the American Angus each subsequent test. This gives us the ability to compare our
Association. the aaa has provided us with 3 epds, dry individual feed intake test data between tests and between
matter intake (dmi epd), residual feed intake (rfi epd), participating herds.
and residual average daily Gain (radG epd). In addition, as more test data is added, the resulting EPDs
residual feed intake (rfi) provides a way of have higher accuracies which increases our confidence in
differentiating cattle from the standpoint of their metabolic their use.
feed utilization efficiency. However, it does not differentiate We have used the dry Matter intake ePds in the calculation
for rate of gain. (use the Growth epds, radG epds and of the PMB $indexes. To our knowledge, PMB is the only
$indexes for that comparison.) Angus Bull supplier who has the capability and who has
Residual Average Daily Gain (RADG) is an index made the commitment to providing this data.
that combines feed intake and rate of gain. If 2 animals The Feed Efficiency Information is presented in the sale book like this:
consumed the exact same amount of feed but one gained rfi test results radG epd epd%
more weight, its RADG value would be higher, thus denoting
more pounds gained for the same feed cost. For example, -1.35 0.34 1
Bull A had an RADG EPD of +0.30 and Bull B had an RADG
EPD of +0.10, then the progeny of Bull A would be expected
to gain 0.2 lbs. more each day than the progeny of Bull B. Look for this symbol signifying a
Over a 160 day feeding period while eating the same amount
Negative RFI Test Result.
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