Summary
Feeding cattle is a major cost of beef production. In southern Australian pasture-based systems, around 60 per cent of the variable costs of production are related to feed cost. Supplementary feeding with hay, grain and silage adds further to the cost of feeding cattle, and the cost of feed is around 70 per cent of the variable cost of operating a feedlot.
This project built on the earlier MRC/MLA DAN.075 Project, and complementary research by the Cattle and Beef CRC (CRCI) and the CRC for Cattle and Beef Quality (CRCII), that showed genetic variation in net feed intake (NFI) exists. This Project aimed to provide mechanisms for the beef industry to be able to identify and optimally utilise feed efficient bulls, and to provide knowledge of favourable and possible unfavourable associations with other economically important production traits. The project was conducted as a part of the activities of Project 2.2 of the CRC II.
