Feed Efficiency: A Key Production Trait and A Global Challenge

Sami Dridi*, Nicholas Anthony, Byung-Whi Kong and Walter Bottje

Feed Efficiency: A Key Production Trait and A Global Challenge.

Animal agriculture is facing substantial challenges from a steep projected increase in
global demand for high quality animal protein and the need to adapt to higher temperature due
to climate change. Indeed, with predictions that the world human population will increase to
between 9 and 10 billion. Although it is moderately heritable, Feed Efficiency that defines the animal’s ability to convert feed into body weight, is a trait of vital importance for maintaining sustainable agriculture.

Associated with these successes  there have been a number of undesirable changes in modern chickens such as muscle disorders, heart failure syndrome, ascites, lameness and fat deposition. Thus, a deep molecular and mechanistic understanding of traits of breeding interest may help to avoid the above mentioned unfavourable consequences. Genetic selection based on these parameters has made spectacular progress in meat production traits. For instance, as seen in Figure 1, under optimal husbandry conditions, body weight and breast yield have dramatically increased however FCR decreased.

With the new cutting edge techniques involving genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, mobilomics, microbiomics and metabolomics we will have the potential to identify molecular signatures for feed efficiency and to solve the intervening puzzle between nutrients, genes, environment and performances. A personalized nutrition approach based on identification, selection and optimization of nutrients fine-tuned with animal genetic profiles and animal’s capability to withstand environmental stress will improve performances, health and wellness.

Adv Food Technol Nutr Sci Open J.2015; 1(3): e11-e13. doi: 10.17140/AFTNSOJ-1-e004

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