1
|
Lawrence P, McGee M, Earley B. Animal welfare index: an animal welfare evaluation of beef production farms in Ireland. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09712119.2022.2126478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Lawrence
- Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Dunsany, Ireland
| | - Mark McGee
- Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Dunsany, Ireland
| | - Bernadette Earley
- Teagasc, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Dunsany, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
McGettigan C, McGee M, O'Riordan E, Kelly A, Earley B. Effect of concrete slats versus rubber-covered slats on the performance, behaviour, hoof health, cleanliness of finishing beef steers and performance, cleanliness and hoof health of weanling cattle. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2022.105106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
3
|
Dawson CR, Henley PA, Schroeder AR, Meteer WT, Hayes CA, Felix TL, Shike DW, McCann JC. Effects of rubber matting on feedlot cattle growth performance, locomotion, and carcass characteristics in slatted floor facilities. J Anim Sci 2022; 100:6527238. [PMID: 35148402 PMCID: PMC9030117 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skac041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective was to determine effects of old and new rubber matting in a slatted, indoor cattle feeding facility on cattle growth performance, locomotion, and carcass characteristics. In experiment 1, fall-born Angus × Simmental steers (N = 207; body weight = 222 ± 38 kg) were blocked by weight and assigned to 32 pens. Pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: no matting/concrete (CONC1), 12-yr-old Animat Pebble matting (OLD1), new Animat Maxgrip matting (MG), and new Animat Pebble matting (PEB1). Steers were fed a common diet for 209 d with a minimum stocking density of 3.40 m2 per animal. Final body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) were affected (P = 0.02 and P < 0.01, respectively) by treatment with steers on PEB1 finishing heaviest with the greatest growth, MG and CONC1 intermediate, and OLD1 finishing at the lightest final BW with the least growth. Flooring treatment did not affect overall dry matter intake (DMI; P = 0.16) or gain to feed ratio (G:F; P = 0.94). Flooring treatment did not affect (P ≥ 0.19) any carcass traits. Locomotion scores (LS) were affected (P < 0.01) by flooring treatment with CONC1 having the worst mobility while OLD1, MG, and PEB1 were similar (P ≥ 0.24). Locomotion score had a day effect (P < 0.01) where cattle gait and mobility worsened as days on feed increased. In experiment 2, fall-born Angus × Simmental steers (N = 189; BW = 352 ± 43 kg) were blocked by weight and assigned to 21 pens. Pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: no matting/concrete (CONC2), 15-yr-old Animat Pebble matting (OLD2), and new Animat Pebble matting (PEB2). Steers were fed a common diet for 152 d with a stocking density of 2.65 m2 per steer. After 152 d on feed, flooring treatment did not affect (P ≥ 0.30) BW, ADG, or DMI nor did treatment affect (P ≥ 0.17) carcass traits. However, steers housed on OLD2 or PEB2 had improved locomotion scores (P = 0.02) compared with steers housed on CONC2. Locomotion score had a day effect (P < 0.01) as cattle gait and mobility worsened with greater number of days on feed, regardless of treatment. Overall, results suggest that new rubber matting increased ADG and HCW during a 209-d trial when cattle were stocked at 3.4 m2 in small pens and that rubber matting regardless of age improved cattle locomotion scores in slatted indoor feeding facilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cody R Dawson
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Parker A Henley
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Adam R Schroeder
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - William T Meteer
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Courtney A Hayes
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Tara L Felix
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Daniel W Shike
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Joshua C McCann
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA,Corresponding author:
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
The effect of diet and covering fully slatted concrete floors with rubber strips on the intake, performance and cleanliness of dairy-origin bulls. Animal 2019; 13:2092-2100. [DOI: 10.1017/s1751731119000272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
|