"95% of the industry doesn't appreciate what's going on with feed efficiency - but if everyone knew the benefits that we have found, we couldn't supply the product." Leo MacDonnell. His son Steve Williams is the 3rd generation to run the Midland Bull Test in Montana. They started in 1962, wintering 60 bulls and testing them for average daily gain and collating dam production records. A group of breeders had got together with the idea that there must be a better way of picking bulls than just picking the prettiest one in the show ring. Now they test 2500 bulls per year, 1000 of them through their own designed 'Midland Bull Test' which incorporates a feed efficiency test.
Leo says: "We tested for ultrasound way back in the 60's, were the first to take scrotals and to semen test. They all thought we were wrong then, but everybody is doing that now - it's the norm. There has been opposition all the way. We've been testing for RFI for 8 years, and there's opposition to that too." But Leo and Steve are convinced measuring for Feed Efficiency by Residual Feed Intake is going to be an important aspect of bull selection. That's not just coming from somebody who is trying to sell his bull test, it's coming from a family run operation who believe in making the beef industry better, cattlemen who also run 700 cows, and a business which is co-ordinating big trials to back up their beliefs.
They have progeny tested 100units of semen times 5 or 6 sires per year (including one industry standard bull and high feed efficient bulls from test) over commercial cows. Steers have been bought back and fed in a feedlot in Washington with a large Growsafe system, DNA parentage for sire identification, tested for RFI and carcase data gathered. High RFI bulls have bred a 15% improvement in steer RFI, with one bull breeding a 20% improvement.
On the cow side, they think that high RFI cattle tend to be a little longer and maybe not as deep, probably with a little less backfat (but of course it takes more energy to put on fat), and maybe increased longevity (but they are only 7 years in). Definitely less problems in young cows, improved breeding rates in heifers and breed-back on 2nd calvers significantly better.
"We are gonna have to give up some of that 'gas tank'. These high appetite cows don't stack up in terms of calf production - it just doesn't make sense. ...and I was raised to like those type of cattle - that was hard to accept." Leo McDonnell.
Leo says: "We tested for ultrasound way back in the 60's, were the first to take scrotals and to semen test. They all thought we were wrong then, but everybody is doing that now - it's the norm. There has been opposition all the way. We've been testing for RFI for 8 years, and there's opposition to that too." But Leo and Steve are convinced measuring for Feed Efficiency by Residual Feed Intake is going to be an important aspect of bull selection. That's not just coming from somebody who is trying to sell his bull test, it's coming from a family run operation who believe in making the beef industry better, cattlemen who also run 700 cows, and a business which is co-ordinating big trials to back up their beliefs.
They have progeny tested 100units of semen times 5 or 6 sires per year (including one industry standard bull and high feed efficient bulls from test) over commercial cows. Steers have been bought back and fed in a feedlot in Washington with a large Growsafe system, DNA parentage for sire identification, tested for RFI and carcase data gathered. High RFI bulls have bred a 15% improvement in steer RFI, with one bull breeding a 20% improvement.
On the cow side, they think that high RFI cattle tend to be a little longer and maybe not as deep, probably with a little less backfat (but of course it takes more energy to put on fat), and maybe increased longevity (but they are only 7 years in). Definitely less problems in young cows, improved breeding rates in heifers and breed-back on 2nd calvers significantly better.
"We are gonna have to give up some of that 'gas tank'. These high appetite cows don't stack up in terms of calf production - it just doesn't make sense. ...and I was raised to like those type of cattle - that was hard to accept." Leo McDonnell.