Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Omaha, Nebraska

March 13, 2017

President: Stephanie Hansen

Secretary:  Roberto D. Sainz  (Jim Oltjen took on-site notes)

Meeting called to order by Dr. Hansen at 8 am, with introductions.  Attending were Stephanie Hansen (Iowa), Daniel Shike (Illinois), Mike Davis (Ohio), Jim Oltjen (California), and Samodha Fernando (Nebraska). 

Presentations were made by Drs. Shike, Davis, Oltjen, and Fernando. Residual Feed intake and efficiency, basic models using quail, and microbial effects and interactions with trace minerals were discussed.

In a business meeting, discussion about W-2010 terminating September 30, 2018, followed.  Due to low attendance at committee meetings, and recognition that beef efficiency work is now being incorporated in many research projects and even other regional committee’s objectives, it was suggested that for now no plans for continuing the project be made.  Current W-2010 members should be encouraged to join other regional research committees. 

Administrative Advisor Bret Hess called in, and said that if several committee members wanted to renew, a draft renewal would be due to him by the end of 2017.  Plans for the 2018 meeting were discussed, and tentative plans are for jointly meeting with WCGALP in Auckland February 11-16, 2018.

Dr. Shike was elected secretary for next year, and Dr. Sainz moves from secretary to president.  So that the 2017 report can be submitted by Dr. Hansen within 60 days written reports from all committee members are due to Dr. Hansen by May 1, 2017 (she will email out guidelines later this week).  Dr. Sainz will plan next year’s meeting.

Dr. Hansen discussed her studies on oxidative stress in both low and high RFI animals. Also genetic markers for these are being investigated.  She also said that much of her current research is on trace mineral nutrition.

The meeting closed before noon.

SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES

General:

Again in 2017 members of the W2010 committee achieved goals that address enhancement of feed efficiency, advancing knowledge regarding mechanisms by which cattle feed efficiency is affected. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Midwest ASAS meeting, as this meeting is typically attended by many members of the committee. This year, 5 committee members met to discuss novel approaches improve feed efficiency in beef cattle. One important discussion point at the meeting was that the field of feed efficiency has expanded significantly in recent years, and many academics engaged in this area of research are involved with other committees more specific to their disciplines. Written station reports were submitted by 7 members (CA, IA, IL, KY, MO, MT, OH, TN). Our current report demonstrates the overall outcomes, outputs, activities, milestones and impacts as a group. Overall, the W2010 multistate group continues to maintain active research programs, in areas ranging from microbiome to oxidative stress, and repeatability of feed efficiency ranking. Members are focused on sharing results at national and regional meetings, through meetings targeted at both academic peers and beef cattle producers through extension efforts.

Outputs

The reporting period for this report is shorter than normal, as the gap between when the last report was submitted and this one is around 9 months. Committee members from 7 states made several presentations to stakeholders in state, regional, national or international meetings. The presentations included webinars, cattle producer meetings, and scientific meetings across the US. Findings associated with W2010 Objectives were presented. In 2016-17, members of the committee published 13 refereed journal articles, 9 papers in proceedings, 5 abstracts on project objectives.   These outputs were communicated to academia, beef producers, feed industries, pharmaceutical industries, and consulting nutritionists.

Activities/Accomplishments

Objective 1: To understand biological sources of variation in efficiency of feed utilization.

Kentucky contributed to the achievement of Objective 1 by extracting RNA from animal’s demonstrating the extreme range of residual feed intake (RFI) performance (outlier animals; contributed by other stations) and conducting targeted and genomic expression profiles of selected tissues to determine the effect of RFI phenotype on known and elucidated regulatory and canonical gene networks.

The experimental goal was to determine if the expression pattern of hepatic transcriptome would shift in unselected RFI steers as steers developed from growing (predominately lean accretion) to finishing (predominately adipose accretion) production stages, as a baseline understanding for RFI-selected steers. Although the expression of S10010 and INHBA was not altered, expression of 6 other genes reported to be markers for differential residual feed intake phenotypes (AHSG, GHR, GSTM1, PCDH19, S100A10, SERPINI2, SOD3) actually was altered 30 to 570% as steers develop from growing to finished phenotypes. We also found physiologically important changes in finished vs. growing steer hepatic capacities for: (1) nitrogen metabolism: increased capacities for ammonia, arginine, and urea production and shunting of amino acid carbons into pyruvate; (2) carbohydrate metabolism: increased capacity for glycogen synthesis and decreased glycolytic capacity; (3) lipid metabolism: increased capacity for fatty acid b-oxidation and lipid storage but decreased capacity for fatty acid activation and desaturation; and (4) decreased redox capacity and inflammatory responses, with X receptor/retinoid X receptor activation as the most probable mechanism coordinating lipid metabolism and immune response events. These findings identify potential metabolic targets during critical developmental phases of fattening cattle, and that are of interest/applicable to both the production animal and biomedical communities.

Kentucky members developed protocols for, and identified changes in expression of, hepatic transcriptome profiles likely to be associated with putative changes in hepatic metabolism in high versus low RFI growing cattle.

From Tennessee, both researchers at this station actively and exclusively participate in objective one. Within 2017, much basic research has been conducted to initially examine the microbial populations and associated changes within the gut as a function of varying feed efficiency phenotypes. As methane production contributes to overall energy efficiency, especially in grazing beef cows, funded studies were initiated to examine methane mitigation strategies, focusing on biochar supplementation utilizing in vitro studies. Several peer-reviewed manuscripts are expected in the coming year, encompassing both research and methods development.

In Missouri, a multi-year project was initiated using spring-calving (N=350) and fall-calving (N=100) registered Hereford cows managed in 13 contemporary groups on 1,200-ha ranch in southern Missouri. Body weight and body condition score at weaning, and body condition score at calving were measured on spring-calving cows in 2016. Birth date and weight, and weaning date and weight were measured on spring-born calves in 2016. Body condition score at calving was measured on fall-calving cows, and birth date and weight were measured on fall-born calves in 2016. Forage samples were collected monthly for each contemporary group. Additionally, samples of hay and winter supplemental feed were collected.

Montana conducted a study evaluating individual animal variation in extreme high and extreme low RFI growing lambs. High and low RFI animals are identified after 42 day feeding trial. Found differences in body composition for lambs divergent for RFI. More efficient lambs had heavier rumen and lung weights than inefficient lambs, also the microbial profiles of different regions of the GI tract differ (manuscript submitted and accepted). Currently evaluating rumen histology, NMR serum metabolites and liver, muscle, and adipose gene expression related to divergent RFI class in growing lambs.

Ohio examined retrospective data, collected at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, from 1953 through 1980 from identical and fraternal twin beef and dairy females born in 1953, 1954, 1959, 1964, and 1969, and from crossbred females born as singles in 1974, and their progeny. Numbers of dams that weaned at least 1 calf and were included in the first analysis were 37, 45, and 56 in the 1964, 1969, and 1974 data sets, respectively. Respective numbers of dams that weaned 3 calves and were included in a second analysis were 6, 8, 8, 22, 33, and 33 in the 1953, 1954, 1959, 1964, 1969, and 1974 experiments.  Individual feed consumption was measured at 28-d intervals from the time females were placed on the experiment until 3 calves were weaned or the dams had reached 5 yr of age.  Residual feed intake (RFI) and residual gain (RG) of the heifers that subsequently became the dams in this study were determined based on ADG and DMI from 240 d of age to first calving.  Various measures of cow efficiency were calculated on either a life cycle or actual lifetime basis using ratios of progeny and dam weight outputs to progeny and dam feed inputs.  As expected, RFI was phenotypically independent of ADG and metabolic midweight (MMW), whereas the correlation between RFI and DMI was positive and highly significant (r = 0.67; P < 0.0001).  Residual gain was highly correlated with ADG (r = 0.75; P < 0.0001) and had near 0 correlations with DMI and MMW.  Correlations of RFI with cow efficiency ratios that included harvest weight, carcass weight, or weight of trimmed wholesale cuts as measures of output ranged from –0.05 (P > 0.10) to -0.17 (P < 0.10), indicating that heifers with better (i.e., more negative) RFI values tended to become slightly more efficient cows.  Correlations of RG with life cycle and actual lifetime cow efficiency ratios ranged from 0.08 (P > 0.10) to 0.23 (P < 0.05), demonstrating that heifers with better (i.e., more positive) values for RG were somewhat more efficient as cows.  Correlations of DMI and MMW with life cycle cow efficiency ratios that did not include cow salvage value as output ranged from -0.15 (P < 0.10) to -0.22 (P < 0.01).  Correlations of DMI and MMW with actual lifetime cow efficiency ratios ranged from -0.20 (P < 0.05) to -0.36 (P < 0.001).  Therefore, smaller heifers that ate less from 240 d of age to first calving had superior cow efficiency ratios.  RFI and RG were generally not significantly correlated with dam weight at weaning of first, second, or third calf, harvest weights, carcass weights, or trimmed wholesale cut weights of progeny, feed consumption of the dam, or preweaning and postweaning feed consumption of the progeny.  Correlations of RFI with carcass grade, backfat thickness, marbling score, and kidney fat of progeny ranged from 0.11 (P > 0.10) to 0.20 (P < 0.05), indicating that heifers with superior RFI would tend to produce leaner offspring.

In Illinois, 2 experiments were conducted to evaluate the relationship between measures of feed efficiency in growing and mature animals, as well as across diet types. In Exp. 1, Post-weaning DMI, ADG, and backfat were evaluated on Angus and SimAngus heifers (n=623) over a 6-yr period. Heifers received similar forage-based diets, and individual DMI were recorded using the GrowSafe system. Residual feed intake (RFI), residual BW gain (RG), and residual intake and BW gain (RIG) were calculated. Heifers were classified into high, medium, or low RFI, RG, RIG, and DMI groups. The objective of this experiment was to determine the relationship between post-weaning feed efficiency and intake in heifers, and subsequent cow performance and reproduction as 2-yr-old cows. As heifer RFI improved, cow forage DMI was reduced (P < 0.01). The RFI classification did not affect (P ≥ 0.07) reproductive traits; calf birth or weaning BW; cow BW, milk production, backfat, or BCS. Heifer DMI was highly correlated (P < 0.05) to cow forage intake. Heifers classified as low DMI were least frequently (P < 0.01) kept as replacements and were youngest (P = 0.04) at first calving. Calves from cows, classified as high DMI heifers, had the greatest (P < 0.01) birth BW; yet, there were no differences (P=0.60) in weaning BW. Intake classification had no effect (P ≥ 0.07) on cow BCS, backfat, or milk production. Cows, classified as low DMI heifers, weighed the least (P = 0.02) and had reduced (P < 0.01) hip heights at 60- and 240-d postpartum. Cows, classified as low DMI heifers, had reduced (P ≤ 0.01) DMI compared to cows within the high heifer DMI group. These data indicate that females classified as more efficient have reduced cow DMI without compromising production traits.

In Exp. 2, Charolais crossbred heifers and steers (n=628) were fed for two 70d periods and DMI, ADG, and 12^th rib fat thickness were recorded. Steers were fed grain-based diets during the growing and finishing periods to determine the effects of test period and timing on DMI and feed efficiency. Heifers were fed forage during the growing period and grain during the finishing period to test the effect of diet type on DMI and measures of feed efficiency. For each 70d test period, individual DMI was recorded using the GrowSafe system. Residual feed intake was calculated for each test period. Total feeding period ADG (FP_ADG) was calculated for steers by regressing all weights taken from feedlot arrival to final BW, which was calculated by dividing HCW by a standard dressing percentage (63%). Dry matter intake and RFI were correlated (r=0.56; P<0.01, and 0.63; P<0.01, respectively) for the growing and finishing periods of grain-fed steers. Average daily gain was not repeatable (r=0.11; P=0.06) across both test periods for steers. However, growing and finishing ADG were correlated (r=0.58; P<0.01, and r=0.69; P<0.01, respectively) to FP_ADG. To assess the potential of shortening the intake test, DMI was analyzed in 7d increments for grain-fed steers during the growing period. Regardless of test length, from 7 to 70d, DMI was correlated (r≥0.87; P<0.01) to total DMI during the growing period. Heifer forage DMI was correlated (r=0.58; P<0.01) to grain DMI; and, heifer forage ADG was negatively correlated (r=-0.30; P<0.01) to grain ADG. Forage and grain RFI were moderately correlated (r=0.40; P<0.01) for heifers.

In Iowa, a study was conducted evaluating the effects of trace mineral repletion on cattle performance. Steers fed high sulfur diets had decreased trace mineral status, and when status was repleted cattle with improving trace mineral status had better feed efficiency. This supports previous work in poultry and beef cattle suggesting minerals may be quite important in battling oxidative stress and subsequently improve cattle feed efficiency.  

Objective 2: To discover physiological biomarkers and genetic markers for feed efficiency.

Montana, along with collaborators, worked towards evaluating predictive power of blood metabolites measured by NMR on prediction of phenotypic variation in RFI in feedlot cattle with Texas A & M to confirm previous results with additional resolution. (result of this group)

Objective 3: To develop EPDs, informed by molecular studies in building multi-trait selection indices and decision-support tools to facilitate selection for improved feed efficiency in beef cattle.

California investigated the genetic and technological improvements needed in beef cattle production in order to integrate the data from populations of beef cattle to develop improved models for high accuracy EPDs for RFI and other production traits.

Objective 4: To develop producer educational programs to enhance technology adoption by the beef industry.

Members of the committee from University of Illinois and Iowa State University contributed data and program development ideas to the extension efforts of the USDA beef feed efficiency project  in this, its final year. This included presentations of research findings at meetings such as BIF, but also included development of fact sheets and other extension programs to enhance adoption of feed efficiency improvement strategies, both genetically and nutritionally.

MILESTONES

In Ohio, a divergent selection experiment was initiated in 1989 to investigate the influence of changes in serum IGF-I concentration on economically important traits in purebred Angus beef cattle. The selection experiment included 100 spring-calving (50 high line and 50 low line) cows located at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station, Belle Valley, OH. Beginning with the 2009 breeding season, the selection criterion in the IGF-I selection lines was changed from serum IGF-I concentration to ME EPD as provided by the Red Angus Association of America.  Females in the high line are mated to high (undesirable) ME EPD bulls and cows and heifers in the low line are mated to low (desirable) ME EPD bulls.  The first calves produced in this project at the Ohio station were born in the spring 2010 calving season.  The selection experiment is ongoing.

Many collaborative relationships between members of this committee are well established, and newer members continue this tradition. For example, in order to develop a joint funding proposal including all participants who wish to contribute, as delineated in the project, two grant proposals are in preparation to the USDA-NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program, Foundational Program, within the Animal Health and Production and Animal Products - Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation program area. Another proposal was submitted to NSF – Dimensions of Biodiversity. Proposals submitted or in preparation consisted of scientists from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, The University of Tennessee, USDA-ARS-USMARC, and NIMBioS (National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis).

Cassady, C. J., T. L. Felix, J. E. Beever, D. W. Shike, and National Program for Genetic Improvement of Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle. 2016. Effects of timing and duration of test period and diet type on intake and feed efficiency of Charolais-sired cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 94:4748-4758.  Doi:10.2527/jas2016-0633

Davis, M. E., P. A. Lancaster, J. J. Rutledge, and L. V. Cundiff.  2016.  Life cycle efficiency of beef production:  VIII. Relationship between residual feed intake of heifers and subsequent cow efficiency ratios.  J. Anim. Sci. 94:4860–4871.  doi:10.2527/jas2016-0690.

Davis, ME, PA Lancaster, JJ Rutledge, LV Cundiff. 2016. Life cycle efficiency of beef production: VIII. Relationship between residual feed intake of heifers and subsequent cow efficiency ratios. J. Anim. Sci. 94:4860.

Edwards, S.E., Hobbs, J.D., and Mulliniks, J.T. 2017. High milk production decreases cow-calf productivity within a highly available feed resource environment. Translational Animal Science, 1(1), pp.54-59. doi:10.2527/tas2016.0006.

Jackson, J. J., M. D. Lindemann, J. A. Boling, and J. C. Matthews. 2015. Summer-long Grazing of High versus Low Endophyte (Neotyphodium coenophialum)-infected Tall Fescue by Growing Beef Steers Results in Distinct Temporal Blood Analyte Response Patterns, with Poor Correlation to Serum Prolactin Levels. Frontiers in Veterinary Science doi:10.3389/fvets.2015.00077.

Lean, Ian, M. Lucy, J. McNamara, B. Bradford, E. Block, J. Thomson, J. Morton, P. Celi, A. Rabiee, J. Santos, W. Thatcher, S. LeBlanc. 2016. Invited Review: Recommendations for reporting intervention studies on reproductive performance in dairy cattle: Improving design, analysis, and interpretation of research on reproduction. Journal of Dairy Science. 99:1-17

Matthews, J. C., J. Huang, and G. Rentfrow. 2016. High-affinity Glutamate Transporter and Glutamine Synthetase Content in Longissimus Dorsi and Adipose Tissues of Growing Angus Steers Differs Among Suckling, Weanling, Backgrounding, and Finishing Production Stages. Journal of Animal Science 94:1267-75. doi: 10.2527/jas.2015-9901.

McFarlane, Z. D., Myer, P. R., Cope, E. R., Evans, N. D., Bone, C., Biss, B. E., and Mulliniks, J. T.  2017.  Effect of biochar type and size on in vitro rumen fermentation of orchardgrass hay.  Agricultural Sciences. doi: 10.4236/as.2017.84023

Miles, E. D., B. W. McBride, J. A. Boling, P. J. Bridges, and J.C. Matthews. Effect of 17β-estradiol administration on hepatic glutamine synthetase, β-catenin, and GPR30 in young and aged beef cows. Accepted by Canadian Journal of Animal Sciences as manuscript CJAS1-2016-0002.R2.

Myer, P. R., Wells, J.E., Smith, T.P.L., Kuehn, L.A., and Freetly, H.C. 2017. Analysis of the gut bacterial communities in beef cattle and their association with feed intake, growth, and efficiency.  Journal of Animal Science. doi: 10.2527/jas2016.1059. In-press

Perea, K., K. Perz, S. K. Olivo, A. Williams, M. Lachman, S. L. Ishaq, J. Thomson, C. J. Yeoman. 2017. Feed efficiency phenotypes in lambs involve changes in ruminal, colonic, and small intestine-located microbiota. J. Anim Sci. In Press

Old, C.A., J.W. Oltjen, J.R. Miller, N. Ohanesian, R.G. Hinders, W. Vogt and D.A. Sapienza. 2016. Reliability of in vivo, in vitro, in silico, and near infrared estimates of pure stand alfalfa hay quality: Component degradability and metabolizability of energy. The Professional Animal Scientist 32: 470-483.

Thomson, J. M. 2016. Impacts of Environment on Gene Expression and Epigenetic Modification in Grazing Animals. J Anim Sci. 94(S6):63–73

Proceedings and Technical Reports:

Garrott, Robert A., Kelly M. Proffitt, Jay J. Rotella, Jim Berardinelli, Jennifer Thomson, Elizabeth P. Flesch, Carson J. Butler, Ethan Lula, and Rashelle Lambert. “The Role of Disease, Habitat, Individual Condition, and Herd Attributes on Bighorn Sheep Recruitment and Population Dynamics in Montana.” Annual Report. Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Grant. Montana: Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Montana State University, February 15, 2017.

Hansen, S. L., J. R. Russell, N. O. Minton, W. J. Sexten, M. S. Kerley, E. L. Lundy, E. K. Niedermayer, and National Program for Genetic Improvement of Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle. 2016. Effects of diet digestibility on feed efficiency and impact of diet type and feeding phase on repeatability of feed efficiency phenotype. Proceedings of the Beef Improvement Federation Conference. Manhattan, KS. Pgs. 75-89.

Oltjen, J.W., R.D. Sainz, L.G. Barioni and S.R. Medeiros. 2016. Rate of protein growth and energy for maintenance parameter changes in the Davis Growth Model. In: Energy and Protein Metabolism and Nutrition (J. Skomial and H. Lapierre, Eds.) pp. 69-70. European Assoc. for Anim. Prod. Publ. No. 137.

Perea, K., K. Perz, S. K. Olivo, A. Williams, M. Lachman, S. L. Ishaq, J. Thomson, C. J. Yeoman. 2017. Feed efficiency phenotypes in lambs involve changes in ruminal, colonic, and small intestine-located microbiota. Poster Presentation. Montana Nutrition Conference

Perea, K., K. Perz, S. K. Olivo, A. Williams, M. Lachman, S. L. Ishaq, J. Thomson, C. J. Yeoman. 2017. Feed efficiency phenotypes in lambs involve changes in ruminal, colonic, and small intestine-located microbiota. Poster Presentation and Proceedings 2017 Congress on Gastrointestinal Function

Sainz, R.D., K.C. Dykier, F.M. Mitloehner and J.W. Oltjen. 2016. Performance and body composition in high and low RFI beef cattle. In: Energy and Protein Metabolism and Nutrition (J. Skomial and H. Lapierre, Eds.) pp. 101-102. European Assoc. for Anim. Prod. Publ. No. 137.

Sainz, R.D., K.C. Dykier, F.M. Mitloehner and J.W. Oltjen. 2016. Energy metabolism in high and low RFI beef cattle. In: Energy and Protein Metabolism and Nutrition (J. Skomial and H. Lapierre, Eds.) pp. 103-104. European Assoc. for Anim. Prod. Publ. No. 137.

Shike, D.W., C. J. Cassady, T. L. Felix, and J. E. Beever. 2016. Effects of timing and duration of test period and diet type on intake and feed efficiency in Charolais-sired cattle. Proc. 2016 Beef Improvement Federation: Research Symposium & Annual Meeting. Manhattan, KS p. 57-64.

Weaber, R. L., J. E. Beever, H. C. Freetly, D. J. Garrick, S. L. Hansen, K. A. Johnson, M. S. Kerley, D. D. Loy, E. Marques, H. L. Neibergs, E. J. Pollak, R. D. Schnabel, C. M. Seabury, D. W. Shike, M. L. Spangler, and J. F. Taylor. 2016.  Results of survey of stakeholders regarding knowledge of and attitudes towards feed efficiency and genetic improvement concepts.  Proceedings of the Beef Improvement Federation Conference. Manhattan, KS. Pgs. 90-94.

Abstracts:

Clemmons, B.A., Mulliniks, J.T., Donohoe, D.R., and Myer, P.R. 2016. Host animal genetic influence in rumen microbial community establishment in cows. UTIA Animal Science Graduate Student Poster Competition, UT Beef and Forage Center Graduate Research and Poster Symposium, UT Beef and Forage Center Annual Research and Recommendation Meeting, Dec 2016, Knoxville, TN.

McFarlane, Z.D., Barbero, R.P., Oakes, R.N., and Mulliniks, J.T. 2017. Effect of forage species and supplement type on rumen kinetics and serum metabolites in developing beef heifers grazing winter forage. American Society of Animal Science Annual Conference. Salt Lake City, UT.

Melchior, E.A., Hales, K.E., and Myer, P.R. 2017. The Effects of Feeding Monensin on Rumen Methanogenesis to a Group of Bred Heifers in a Drylot. Invited Talk. Microbe 2017. New Orleans, LA.

Melchior, E.A., Hales, K.E., and Myer, P.R. 2017. The Effects of Feeding Monensin on Rumen Methanogenesis to a Group of Bred Heifers in a Drylot. Poster Presentation. Microbe 2017. New Orleans, LA.

Melchior, E.A., Mulliniks, J.T., Batesm G.E., Smith, J., and Myer, P.R. 2016. The effect of endophyte infected tall fescue and isoflavones on rumen microbial populations and beef cattle production in Tennessee. UTIA Animal Science Graduate Student Poster Competition, UT Beef and Forage Center Graduate Research and Poster Symposium, UT Beef and Forage Center Annual Research and Recommendation Meeting, Dec 2016, Knoxville, TN.