Cow Type and the Nutritional Environment: Nutritional Aspects

Numerous studies have been reported that relate to the influence of cattle type on production efficiency; however, most reported studies have been concerned with output characteristics. This review concentrates on the influence of cattle type on the input requirements and more specifically, energy requirements. Data are presented that show that energy is required for maintenance, growth, gestation and lactation and requirements for each of these functions vary among cattle types. Data are presented that suggest 70 to 75% of total annual energy requirements are required for maintenance functions and variation in requirements for maintenance appear to be greater than variation in requirements for growth, gestation or lactation. In general, variation in maintenance requirements appears to be positively associated with genetic potential for measures of production, e.g., rate of growth or milk production. Reported results suggest that animals having genetic potential for high productivity may have less advantage or be at a disadvantage in a more restrictive environment, suggesting the need for synchronization of production environment and germ plasm resources. Some of the sources of variation in maintenance requirements have been discussed. Data are cited that suggest little of the variation in maintenance energy expenditures is attributable to variation in total body composition per se. However, considerable evidence has accumulated to show that a relatively large proportion of maintenance energy expenditures can be attributed to energy expenditures of visceral organs, especially the liver and gastrointestinal tract. High rates of energy expenditures of these tissues appear to be directly or indirectly associated with the high rates of protein synthesis in these tissues. Greater use of differing research approaches and assimilation of the results are needed to develop an understanding of the reasons for variation among animals in maintenance energy expenditures or energetic efficiency.