Effect of Concrete Slats, Three Mat Types and Out-Wintering Pads on Performance and Welfare of Finishing Beef Steers

Authors

Bernadette Earley, Animal and Bioscience Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Ireland
John McNamara, Technological University DublinFollow
Stephen Jerrams, Technological University DublinFollow
Edward G. O’Riordan, Department Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Ireland

Document Type

Article

Rights

Available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 4.0 International Licence

Disciplines

4. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, 4.3 VETERINARY SCIENCE

Publication Details

Acta Vet Scand (2017) 59:34

DOI 10.1186/s13028-017-0302-3

Abstract

The objective was to investigate the effect of placing mats on concrete slatted floors on performance, behaviour, hoof condition, dirt scores, physiological and immunological variables of beef steers, and to compare responses with animals on out-wintering pads. Continental crossbred beef steers [n = 360; mean (±SD) initial live weight 539 kg (42.2)] were blocked by breed and live weight and randomly assigned to one of five treatments; (1) Concrete slats alone, (2) Mat 1 (Natural Rubber structure) (Durapak Rubber Products), (3) Mat 2 (Natural rubber structure) (EasyFix), (4) Mat 3 (modified ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam structure) and (5) Out-wintering pads (OWP’s).

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-017-0302-3

Recommended Citation

Earley, B., McNamara, J.D. & Jerrams, S. (2017). Effect of concrete slats, three mat types and out-wintering pads on performance and welfare of finishing beef steers. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, vol. 59, article number 34. doi:10.1186/s13028-017-0302-3