A seemingly unlikely organ plays a significant role in feed efficiency.
“The liver accounts for only 1.2 per cent of body weight in bovines, but the organ itself consumes 25 per cent of all the energy utilized by cattle. That’s a telling sign and kind of the reason for the focus on the liver in this project,” says Richard Horne, policy advisor with the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association.
“Although it’s a very small part of the animal’s body, it consumes a quarter of the animal’s energy, and obviously energy plays a huge role in the efficiency of animals.”