WCC92: Beef Cattle Energetics
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
WCC92: Beef Cattle Energetics
Duration: 10/01/1999 to 09/30/2004
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
The beef industry in the United States continues to have an uphill struggle to be economically viable. Pressure from competing protein sources for domestic consumer? dollars and from beef producers in other countries, both in entering the U.S. market as well as in foreign markets, continues to be very strong. Because price is a dominant factor in the competitive position of U.S.-produced beef, efforts to improve production efficiency continue to be of high importance.
Improvement in production efficiency can be achieved by a reduction in input for a given amount of output, an increase in output for a given level of input, or a combination of these. Methods to further optimize the ratio of output to input are sought. Feed represents the largest economic input in life-cycle beef production. A large proportion (greater than two-thirds) of feed cost is in meeting energy requirements. Energy requirements to meet daily maintenance of all ages of animals plus productive functions such as growth, gestation, and lactation are therefore large. Thus, improvement in efficiency of energy utilization by genetic changes, diet changes or manipulation of feeding systems, or changes in management systems are highly desired and will be economically desirable.
Descriptive models that attempt to incorporate the complex variables of genetics, present nutrition, previous nutrition, climate--both short-term and long-term, and management are continually being updated and improved. Although the National Research Council has recently (1997) published new nutritional requirements of beef cattle, scientists plus astute producers realize that the NRC guidelines need further refinement and definition. The interaction of researchers from ruminant nutrition, genetics, and production systems, plus needed inputs from other specialized disciplines, is required to make better, more robust models on energy requirements for the various stages of production/life cycle for beef cattle.
No single institution has the research capital to independently study and solve the wide array of energy requirements and efficiencies for different production settings and genetic types of cattle. This committee has brought together, for the last six years, scientists from multiple disciplines; and effective, stimulating discussions plus cooperative working relationships have resulted. It is expected that at least someone from this committee will be a member of a future NRC committee, writing updated nutritional guidelines for beef cattle. Many committee members serve in extension and in consultant roles, aiding dissemination of information to the beef cattle industry. Application of the most efficient energy utilization in beef cattle not only enhances economic efficiency of beef production but also minimizes overfeeding of other nutrients, thus minimizing the effect of waste nutrients from cattle production on the air, the water, and the soil.
Objectives
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To facilitate a timely exchange of research data, information and ideas among scientists drawn from multiple disciplines, extension personnel, industry representatives, and other parties interested in the measurement and interpretation of energy metabolism in beef cattle and the development of this knowledge for improved production programs.
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To foster cooperative research relationships within the group and add interested new members with diverse backgrounds to enhance the group's discussions.
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To plan and hold a symposium in conjunction with a major scientific meeting (either the Western Section of the American Society of Animal Science or the national American Society of Animal Science) reviewing the state of knowledge for energy metabolism in beef cattle and identifying hypotheses for consideration and new areas of research.
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Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Identification, through discussion and consensus, of the most limiting information in beef cattle utilization of energy intake and develop appropriate hypotheses to test.
- Interpretation of energy utilization data for development of effective, efficient production systems that minimize wastage of nutrients.
- Development of cooperative working relationships that combine expertise across institutions and disciplines that will enhance the usefulness and scale of hypotheses tested.
- A symposium where the latest knowledge in energy metabolism in beef cattle is critically reviewed, and new hypotheses are formulated.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
The committee will continue to meet annually for exchange of current research, discussion of limiting areas of knowledge, presentation of new ideas for further research, and discussion of new applications in production settings. New cooperative arrangements for research are expected to arise from discussion at the annual meetings and through discussions that committee members have using our e-mail listing and our webpage. Following approval of the renewal of the project, the committee will devote a significant portion of its next annual meeting to planning the program and appropriate meeting choice for the symposium described under Objective 3. The committee would also solicit ideas on the program content from key interested scientists who are not members of the committee. Given the need for a lengthy lead time for a symposium, the committee would plan for the symposium being held during 2001.
Organization/Governance
The committee has two elected officers: Chair and the Secretary/Chair Elect. The two officers perform the administrative duties of the committee. Standing sub-committees are created and eliminated by the committee, and sub-committee chairs are appointed by the committee at the annual meeting.
Literature Cited