CRV introduces unique breeding value feed efficiency

CRV is introducing the new breeding value feed efficiency with December’s index run. This breeding value will enable targeted breeding of cows that convert feed into milk more efficiently.

The new breeding value indicates how many kilos of milk daughters of a bull produce from a kilo of dry matter feed intake. The breeding value is expressed as a relative index with an average of 100. A score above 100 represents higher efficiency and a score below 100 lower efficiency than average. Each point higher or lower represents a half per cent more or less milk from the same dry matter feed intake for a bull’s daughters. For example, daughters of a bull with a breeding value of 104 produce two per cent more milk from a kilo of dry matter feed intake than daughters of a bull with a breeding value of 100.

Massive economic and ecologic impact

‘The differences between bulls may seem relatively small, but the economic potential of breeding for feed efficiency is massive’, says Pieter van Goor, who is responsible for collecting and processing feed intake recording data at CRV. ‘If daughters of an average bull produce 10,000 kg of milk per lactation, daughters of a bull with a breeding value of 104 give an average of 10,200 kg using the same feed ration. At a milk price of €0.30, that is €60 extra revenue from milk per lactation for the same feed costs. With

a herd of 100 cows that is equivalent to €6000 more income over feed costs’, he calculates. ‘Besides, a higher feed efficiency results in a more efficient utilization of minerals and a lower carbon footprint for the production of milk.’

Unique internationally

The calculation of the feed efficiency breeding value is based on the feed intake data of approximately 7000 cows on test farms and five working farms where CRV measures feed intake itself. ‘These CRV working farms alone have in total 2000 cows. The volume of data and consequently the reliability of the breeding value feed efficiency will increase rapidly in the coming years’, according to van Goor. ‘CRV is the only breeding organisation in the world able to present a breeding value for feed efficiency based on a high volume of data measured directly from dairy cows in practical conditions’, he stresses. ‘This is what makes the new breeding value unique internationally.’

New index simpler

CRV already started calculating breeding values for feed intake back in April 2016. This was joined in December 2017 by the breeding values saved feed for maintenance (SFM) and saved feed costs for maintenance (SFCM). Since April 2018, the SFCM has had a weighting of 5% in the NVI formula. ‘The breeding value feed efficiency is a welcome addition to the existing breeding values’, believes van Goor. ‘The new index makes it much easier to apply a breeding strategy that aims for more efficient cows.’

Building block for CRV Efficiency

The new breeding value feed efficiency is one of the important building blocks that support the CRV Efficiency breeding value, along with Inet and longevity. CRV Efficiency indicates how efficiently daughters of a bull convert the amount of feed they intake during their lifetime into milk. ‘The amount of feed needed in the rearing phase can be divided over more milk with cows with high lifetime production than with cows with low lifetime production’, explains van Goor. ‘This means that the new breeding value feed efficiency and CRV Efficiency are two different indexes. CRV Efficiency provides information about the efficiency of milk production throughout the cow’s lifetime, including during the rearing and dry periods. Feed efficiency provides information about the efficiency of milk production within a lactation.’