An Evaluation of Alternate Feed Efficiency Estimates in Beef Cattle

In this paper the issue of nonlinearity and heterogeneity in the derivation of feed efficiency estimates for beef cattle based on performance data for 6253 animals is examined. Using parametric, non-parametric and integer programming approaches, we find evidence of nonlinearity between feed intake and measures of size and growth, and susceptibility of, feed efficiency estimates to assumptions pertaining to heterogeneity between animals and within cohorts. Further, differences in feed cost implied by selection based on different feed efficiency estimates were evaluated and compared-“costs of misspecification” of up to $280/kg DM was derived.