Divergent Feed Efficiency Research Articles

Diferenças no metabolismo de bovinos de corte com eficiência alimentar divergente

The objetive of this review was to show some differences in metabolism of beef cattle with divergent feed efficiency, approaching the variation in nutrient utilization, metabolism of tissues, body composition and the relationship of feed efficiency with stress. The more accurate tests for feed efficiency are expensive due to the need for measurement of individual intake, then identifying some metabolic correlated with feed efficiency would be possible to perform an initial selection for these metabolites. Then, only after this initial selection (indirect), the best animals were evaluated for individual feed intake. These metabolites indicate the utilization of nutrients (starch digestion and digestibility of diet), metabolism of tissues (plasma urea and IGF-1) and metabolites related to stress (cortisol). Differences in metabolism of animals with divergent feed efficiency can be an important tool to study the magnitude that a selection based on this divergent may cause.