This is a draft schedule. Presentation dates, times and locations may be subject to change.
150
Efficiency Measures and Feedlot Performance of Water Buffaloes for Meat Production
Efficiency Measures and Feedlot Performance of Water Buffaloes for Meat Production
Monday, July 10, 2017
Exhibit Hall (Baltimore Convention Center)
There is an increasing interest in the use of measures of efficiency as a tool for improve profitability of producers; however, in water buffaloes this measures is still unknown. The objective of this study was to compare growth performance with measures of efficiency in 75 non-castrated male buffalos (314 ± 117 kg BW and 390 ± 58 d of age) of 3 genetic group (GG): Jafarabadi (n=25), Mediterranean (n=25) and Murrah (n=25). Dry matter intake was recorded using an automated feeding system (Intergado®, MG, Brazil) for 84 d. The measures of efficiency (EF) evaluated were residual feed intake (RFI) and residual BW gain (RG). The animals were classified for each EF into Low (<0.5 SD mean) and High (>0.5 SD mean) groups, and then High and Low groups were compared using Proc MIXED (SAS) with GG and EF groups as fixed effects. The performance traits were ADG, DMI, final BW. and carcass characteristics evaluated by ultrasound [ribeye area and backfat thickness (BF); 12th-rib]. There was no interaction (P>0.10) between GG and EF groups. High and Low groups had similar (P>0.41) initial and final BW, and ultrasound measures for all EF. As expected, RFI groups did not differ for ADG (P=0.68), however, RFI groups effect was detected for DMI (P=0.02). For the RG groups the behavior was the reverse; it did not differ for DMI (P=0.91), but differed for ADG (P<0.01). The EF measures (G:F, RFI, RG) differed (P<0.05) for all divergent groups. In conclusion, the RFI and RG demonstrated high phenotypic variability, did not alter the characteristics of the carcass assessed by ultrasound, and have potential to be included in selection programs for water buffalos. Supported by FAPESP #2014/05473-7.
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RFI |
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RG |
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Traits |
High |
Low |
SEM |
P |
High |
Low |
SEM |
P |
Initial BW, kg |
313.13 |
324.99 |
22.51 |
0.60 |
313.11 |
331.61 |
22.39 |
0.41 |
Final BW, kg |
432.41 |
447.73 |
24.92 |
0.54 |
453.65 |
437.91 |
24.39 |
0.52 |
Ribeye area, cm2 |
42.18 |
43.16 |
2.15 |
0.65 |
43.74 |
42.25 |
2.16 |
0.49 |
Backfat thickness , mm |
5.47 |
5.09 |
0.55 |
0.49 |
5.39 |
5.83 |
0.58 |
0.45 |
ADG, kg/d |
1.42 |
1.46 |
0.10 |
0.68 |
1.67 |
1.27 |
0.09 |
<0.01 |
DMI, kg/d |
8.75 |
7.67 |
0.45 |
0.02 |
8.43 |
8.38 |
0.48 |
0.91 |
G:F. kg/kg |
0.16 |
0.19 |
0.01 |
<.001 |
0.20 |
0.15 |
0.01 |
<0.01 |
RFI, kg/d |
0.55 |
-0.81 |
0.09 |
<.001 |
-0.49 |
0.36 |
0.16 |
<0.01 |
RG, kg/d |
-0.14 |
0.15 |
0.04 |
<.001 |
0.20 |
-0.22 |
0.03 |
<0.01 |
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