Document Type
Article
Rights
This item is available under a Creative Commons License for non-commercial use only
Disciplines
4. AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, 4.3 VETERINARY SCIENCE
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).
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
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-017-0302-3
Publication Details
Acta Vet Scand (2017) 59:34
DOI 10.1186/s13028-017-0302-3