Feed efficiency
Cows that produce more milk using less feed could help dairy farmers around the world combat rising feed costs, which show no sign of easing. Breeding towards better feed efficiency gives you higher revenues. In addition, efficient utilisation of feed also has a positive impact on the environment as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the use of scarce resources.
Efficient and sustainable cows generate immediate benefits for both dairy farmers and society. Feed costs represent about 60% of all variable costs involved in milk production. Breeding for feed efficiency saves on average 10% on feed costs. In addition, efficient utilisation of feed also has a positive impact on the environment as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and the use of scarce resources.
In 2017, CRV became the first herd improvement organisation to start large-scale measurement of the feed intake of dairy cows on five working farms. The aim is to reduce the feed costs for milk production. We currently collect feed intake data from the five working farms and also from 5 research farms on a daily basis. This gives CRV a leading position in the collection of real feed intake data.
CRV is the only company that calculates - instead of predicts - feed efficiency by measuring real milk production and feed intake data on five farms in practice. With a total of 4 million records of feed intake a year, CRV is by far world leader in breeding cows for Feed Efficiency and has the largest reference population.
Using the breeding value feed efficiency soon results in 10% higher milk production for the same feed costs (based on life time production of a cow).
Dairy farmer Willem Alders has been conducting feed trials for CRV for several years. He sees huge differences, also between similar cows. Read the experience of Willem Alders.
In our actual bull portfolio the reliability of the feed efficiency breeding value with CRV daughter proven bulls is 85 – 90%. That is the result of analysing the measurements on the farms in the programme. From December 2020, farmers can select bulls based on this new breeding value.
Farmers can optimise their revenues even more by selecting the most feed efficient cows with the genomic testing program HerdOptimizer GO. View our extensive portfolio in our sire catalogue. via the button below. You can filter on different breeding values.
Interested in feed efficiency or would you like more information? Find a representative in your region or request more information via our contact form.
CRV collects feed intake data from over 2,000 lactating cows on a daily basis using bins. And we also measure daily milk production, body weight, water intake, health traits etc. This is combined with data collected from 8,000 Dutch and Flemish cows. In the proof run of August 2021 we see bulls that score high on feed efficiency. Genomic bulls have a reliability of 50% on feed efficiency and daughter proven 70 to 85%.
CRV introduced the feed efficiency breeding value. Willem Alders has been conducting feed trials for CRV for several years and sees huge differences.
A higher feed efficiency is directly linked to better roughage utilisation.
World leading in feed efficiency