Contents

• Measuring residual feed intake in heifer calves
  A trial was designed to identify individual heifer calves that used feed either more efficiently than average, or less efficiently than average, so that future selection criteria might take this into account.
• Efficient calves are efficient cows
  The main aim of this research study was to take the 10% most and the 10% least efficient growing calves in converting feed to liveweight and examine if this divergence still occurred when lactating.
• Predicting residual feed intake of lactating cows
  Residual feed intake (RFI) has been widely studied in growing beef animals but there are few reports on measurements in dairy animals. Nevertheless, RFI has been identified as a heritable trait in lactating dairy cows and the trait appears to be repeatable between growth and lactation in dairy cattle.
• Advances in identifying cows with superior feed conversion efficiency – the Australian story
  In Australia and New Zealand, feed conversion efficiency of dairy cattle is an important component of the profitability of dairying. RFI is a useful measure of feed conversion efficiency, as it can be used to compare individuals with different levels of production.
• Residual feed intake brings potential to lift feed conversion efficiency
  Initial RFI results are exciting and promise to add an additional tool in sire and cow selection decisions.
• Recently published by DairyNZ
  DairyNZ researchers publish their findings.
• Focus on international research
  Brief summaries of key international science papers recently published