Page 37 - MWC 2-2-2023s

The Midwest Cattleman · February 2, 2023 · P37
muddy treatment pens the the entire pen was cleaned additional rainfall to create ments. This is interesting as
shelter floor was either wood twice throughout the entire wet feedlot pens. Irrigated cattle shifted their lying lo-
or mud. It was observed that feeding period. Interesting- and natural precipitation av- cation to compensate for the
cattle in muddy pens chose ly, while pens and animal eraged 0.17 inches over the muddy conditions. This may
to stand on the wooden floor hide cleanliness scores were 62 days when precipitation also be an indication that
under the shelter 73% of the better for the pens of cattle was applied during the 109- these cattle became reluc-
time observed compared with that were cleaned twice, no day study. Average pen mud tant to move further away
only 3% for pens with mud differences were observed for depth scores increased over from the feed bunk in their
under the shelters. During feedlot performance. These time for the unbedded steers muddy pen.
this experiment, muddy pens results may indicate that (up to 23.6 inches for some), Unfortunately for many
reduced ADG by 35.5% com- cleaning of pens didn’t occur while mud scores for pens cattle producers, the timing
pared with concrete pens, frequently enough, pens were with steers receiving 11 lbs./ of the muddy season over-
but only 12% in muddy pens not designed to drain appro- square foot/day woodchips laps calving season. Nickles
where cattle could escape the priately, soil type may have only began to increase slight- and others from The Ohio
mud and stand on the wood- been conducive to producing ly the last three weeks of the State University presented
en floor. mud, or the straw bedding study. Steers bedded with some work published in the
The frequency of pen mitigated treatment differ- 11 or 22 lbs./square foot/day Journal of Animal Science
cleaning can also have an ences. woodchips had greater ADG investigating the effects of
effect on the amount of mud Another cattle feeding than steers with no bedding a muddy pen environment
or manure that accumulates. study conducted in Austra- and resulted in greater final on the energy requirements
A study by Neville and oth- lia by Cowley and others body weights and great- of cows and first calf heif-
ers from North Dakota, pub- was published in Meat & er feed efficiency, since dry ers during gestation. Cows
lished in Livestock Science Livestock Australia Limit- matter intake did not differ. and heifers were housed in-
journal compared the feedlot ed to determine the impacts Steer behavior was different dividually in pens that were
performance of steers in open of woodchip bedding in wet between the treatments and either unbedded (9.3 inch-
dirt pens that were cleaned feedlot conditions. Yearling changed over time as well. es of mud) or bedded with
with different frequency over beef steers were placed in After the initial five weeks woodchips/sawdust during
the course of 195 days (Oc- pens either without wood- of the study, steers without the last trimester of gesta-
tober to May). All pens were chips, 11 pounds per square bedding increased their fre- tion. Cows and heifers were
provided with fresh straw foot of woodchips per day, or quency of lying down at the matched up across treat-
bedding weekly. Pens were ei- 22 pounds per square foot front of the pen as opposed to ments so feed delivery was
ther not cleaned, the concrete of woodchips per day. Sprin- the middle or back compared
aprons were cleaned twice, or klers were used to provide with steers in bedded treat- continued on page 38

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