Slatted Floor Pens Research Articles

Using ultrasound measurements to predict body composition of yearling bulls1

Carcass traits have been successfully used to determine body composition of steers. Body composition, in turn, has been used to predict energy content of ADG to compute feed requirements of individual animals fed in groups. This information is used in the Cornell value discovery system (CVDS) to predict DM required (DMR) for the observed animal performance. In this experiment, the prediction of individual DMR for the observed performance of group-fed yearling bulls was evaluated using energy content of gain, which was based on ultrasound measurements to estimate carcass traits and energy content of ADG. One hundred eighteen spring-born purebred and crossbred bulls (BW = 288 +/- 4.3 kg) were sorted visually into 3 marketing groups based on estimated days to reach USDA low Choice quality grade. The bulls were fed a common high-concentrate diet in 12 slatted-floor pens (9 to 10 head/pen). Ultrasound measurements including back-fat (uBF), rump fat, LM area (uLMA), and intramuscular fat were taken at approximately 1 yr of age. Carcass measurements including HCW, backfat over the 12th to 13th rib (BF), marbling score (MRB), and LM area (LMA) were collected for comparison with ultrasound data for predicting carcass composition. The 9th to 11th-rib section was removed and dissected into soft tissue and bone for determination of chemical composition, which was used to predict carcass fat and empty body fat (EBF). The predicted EBF averaged 23.7 +/- 4.0%. Multiple regression analysis indicated that carcass traits explained 72% of the variation in predicted EBF (EBF = 16.0583 + 5.6352 x BF + 0.01781 x HCW + 1.0486 x MRB - 0.1239 x LMA). Because carcass traits are not available on bulls intended for use as herd sires, another equation using predicted HCW (pHCW) and ultrasound measurements was developed (EBF = 39.9535 x uBF - 0.1384 x uLMA + 0.0867 x pHCW - 0.0897 x uBF x pHCW - 1.3690). This equation accounted for 62% of the variation in EBF. The use of an equation to predict EBF developed with steer composition data overpredicted the EBF predicted in these experiments (28.7 vs. 23.7%, respectively). In a validation study with 37 individually fed bulls, the use of the ultrasound-based equation in the CVDS to predict energy content of gain accounted for 60% of the variation in the observed efficiency of gain, with 1.5% bias, and identified 3 of the 4 most efficient bulls.

Neutral detergent fiber concentration in corn silage influences dry matter intake, diet digestibility, and performance of Angus and Holstein steers.

Twelve Angus (237 +/- 13 kg) and twelve Holstein (235 +/- 15 kg) steers were used to determine whether corn silage-based diets with different NDF levels influence DMI to a similar extent in Angus and Holstein steers and as body weight of the steers increase. Steers were randomly assigned to individual slatted-floor pens and used in a crossover design consisting of six 14-d periods. Experimental diets contained corn silage from a normal hybrid (low-fiber; LF) and its male-sterile counterpart (high-fiber; HF) and were alternated each period. The LF and HF diets contained 33.8 and 50.8% NDF, respectively. The HF diet decreased (P < 0.01) overall steer mean DMI 14.0% relative to LF, with mean differences increasing as steers increased in BW (P < 0.01). Feeding the HF diet also reduced ADG by an average of 13.8% relative to the LF diet (P < 0.01). Holstein steers consumed 14.4% more DM and gained 14.3% faster (P < 0.01) than Angus steers. There was a fiber level x breed-type interaction (P = 0.08) for efficiency of gain. Angus steers receiving the HF diet had greater efficiency of gain than Angus steers consuming the LF diet; however, Holstein steers consuming the LF diet had greater efficiency of gain than those receiving the HF diet. The HF treatment reduced total-tract digestibility of DM and GE by 4.6 and 4.5%, respectively (P < 0.01), and decreased DE intake by 20.5% (P < 0.01) but increased apparent totaltract digestibility of NDF and ADF (9.4 and 8.4%, respectively; P < 0.01). Holstein steers had similar digestibility of DM and GE (P > 0.10) but had greater DE intake (P < 0.01) compared to Angus steers. There were fiber level x breed-type interactions for total-tract digestibility of NDF and ADF (P < 0.06). The difference in DM digestibility was negatively associated with the difference in DMI (r2 = 0.23; P < 0.01) for LF minus HF within Angus steers, but not within Holstein steers (P = 0.42). Total-tract digestibility of NDF and ADF was 4.1 and 3.4% lower for the HF diet but was only 1.1 and 0.6% lower for the LF diet when fed to Holstein compared to Angus steers. Results from this trial demonstrate that high-NDF corn silage-based diets reduced intake of both Angus and Holstein steers, and this reduction in DMI continued as steers increased in BW from 235 to 330 kg. Breed differences were also noted for digestible energy intake as influenced by fiber level.

Desempenho e características de carcaça de cordeiros Suffolk alimentados com diferentes volumosos

Cordeiros da raça Suffolk, desmamados aos 60 dias e confinados, foram alimentados com silagem de milho, silagem de sorgo granífero ou feno de Coast cross (Cynodon dactylon L. Pears) e ração concentrada (3,5% do peso vivo), com o objetivo de avaliar seu desempenho, a proporção dos componentes-não-carcaça e o rendimento e características das suas carcaças. Foi utilizado um delineamento completamente casualizado em esquema fatorial (três alimentos volumosos e dois sexos). Os animais alimentados com silagem de milho ou de sorgo mostraram maior (P&lt;0,05) ganho médio diário de peso (295 e 294g) e menor (P&lt;0,05) idade média de abate (119 e 118 dias) que os alimentados com feno (241g e 129 dias). Os machos mostraram maior (P&lt;0,05) ganho de peso diário (301 e 252g) e menor (P&lt;0,05) idade ao abate (117 e 127 dias) que as fêmeas. Os componentes não-carcaça, rendimento de carcaça e de seus cortes, a espessura da gordura subcutânea e grau de gordura não foram afetados (P&gt;0,05) pelo tipo de alimento, contudo, os animais alimentados com silagem de milho apresentaram carcaças com maior (P&lt;0,05) porcentagem de gordura (18,7, 16,7 e 17,5%) e compacidade (241, 232 e 231g/cm) que os demais e menor (P&lt;0,05) proporção de músculo (59,5, 61,1 e 60,6%) que os alimentados com a silagem de sorgo. Cordeiras apresentaram carcaças com maior (P&lt;0,05) proporção de gordura (19,0 e 16,3%) e menor (P&lt;0,05) de ossos (21,0 e 22,9%), sem diferença significativa (P&gt;0,05) na proporção de músculos (60,0 e 60,7%). A silagem de sorgo pode substituir a silagem de milho para cordeiros confinados, contudo o uso do feno de gramínea reduz o seu desempenho.

The Occurrence of Tail Tip Alterations in Fattening Bulls Kept Under Different Husbandry Conditions

AbstractPathological alterations of the tail tip are a severe problem for fattening cattle husbandry with respect to animal welfare and economic losses. We compared the frequencies of tail tip lesions and less severe skin damage in bulls on farms with slatted-floor pens (slat, n = 10), slatted floor pens with prophylactic tail docking (slat/dock, n = 9), and deep bedding pens (straw, n = 10). In addition, the subjects’ weight, their space allotment and the season of the year were determined to test whether they were related to the frequency of tail tip lesions and skin damage. Results are based on 8782 tail inspections in 764 pens. The frequency of the more severe tail tip lesions was highest in slat farms, less high in slat/dock farms, and lowest in straw farms. However, the incidence of the less severe skin damage was highest in slat farms, less high in straw farms, and lowest in slat/dock farms. The frequency of tail tip lesions increased with the weight of bulls in slat and slat/dock farms, but not in straw farms. In addition, in slat and slat/dock farms the incidence of tail tip lesions increased with a decreasing space allotment. The frequency of skin damage increased with increasing weight of bulls in each housing condition. The effect of weight on the number of tail tip lesions and skin damage was stronger in autumn, ie the period following the warm season, compared to spring. Our results suggest that a soft floor and an enlarged space allotment are the most suitable means of preventing tail tip lesions in fattening bulls. Prophylactic tail docking can reduce the occurrence of tail tip lesions only to a lesser degree and may impair the animals’ welfare.

Slatted versus Solid Floors in the Dung Area: Comparison of Pig Production System (Moved versus not Moved) and Effects on Hygiene and Pig Performance, Weaning to Four Weeks after Weaning

The effect of weaning pigs in pens with slatted versus solid floor dung alleys, and of moving at weaning, was studied on pigs from 201 litters. Weaning was at 5 weeks and no litters were mixed. Four treatments were performed: slatted + moved, slatted + not moved, solid + moved and solid + not moved. Pen hygiene was significantly better in the slatted floor pens and morbidity significantly lower. There were no significant differences in mortality or in daily weight gain. Escherichia coli-associated diarrhoea was the major cause of disease and death, and joint inflammation was also of importance. It was concluded that slatted flooring improved pen hygiene and reduced morbidity due to gastrointestinal diseases. In addition, moving the pigs at weaning to cleaned, slatted floor pens may further reduce disease problems.

Slatted versus Solid Floors in the Dung Area of Farrowing Pens: Effects on Hygiene and Pig Performance, Birth to Weaning

The effect of slatted versus solid floors in the dung area of farrowing pens on the health and production of pigs from birth to weaning was studied. In half of the farrowing pens, evenly distributed within a unit, the plastic slats were glued together to form a solid surface and only urine drainage was allowed. A total of 201 litters were studied. Pen hygiene in the slatted floor pens in general was significantly better in all trials, and there was a demonstrably higher amount of bacteria in the solid floor pens. Total mortality from birth to weaning was significantly higher for the solid floor treatment group, primarily due to more traumatic injuries and more infection losses. No significant treatment effects on morbidity and daily weight gain were observed. In conclusion, even in a closed herd with batch farrowing, good general hygiene level and good herd immunity, a small change such as solid flooring in the dung area can negatively affect pig health and production before weaning.

The Meaningfulness of Design Criteria in Relation to the Mortality of Fattening Bulls

To prove the meaningfulness of design criteria in relation to the mortality of fattening bulls a cohort analysis was carried out on 50 farms with housing systems with completely slatted floor, deep litter or two area straw yard system. The design criteria of space allowance, feeding space, pen depth and quality of the floor were integrated into a TGI-40 protocol and related to the incidence of early losses. Additionally, claws of the bulls were collected after slaughtering and examined for pathological information. Slatted floor pens were characterised by a low space allowance and a low pen depth. The dimensions of pens with deep litter and two area straw yard were clearly greater but showed a wide and overlapping variation in the different design criteria. The claws of animals from deep litter and two area straw yard were in a worse condition than the claws of animals from completely slatted floors. Early and total animal losses were greater in pens with slatted floors than in litter systems. Taking all the farms into account, it could be seen that the incidence of early losses was negatively correlated with space allowance (r = -0.31; P < 0.01 ) and quality of the floor (r = -0.27; P < 0.05 ). The integration of different design criteria into a TGI-40 protocol did not improve their meaningfulness in relation to early losses. The results indicate that the meaningfulness of design criteria in relation to early losses of fattening losses is low.

Cubicle Refusal in Norwegian Dairy Herds

In order to survey the behaviour of choosing the alley area instead of a cubicle as a lying place (cubicle refusal), a questionnaire was sent to the 273 dairy farms in Norway known to keep cows in cubicle housing systems. Sixty-six percent of the farmers contacted were included in the study. The median herd size was 18 cows (range 7–118). More than 85% of the herds had sheds providing one or more cubicles per cow. The mean herd occurrence of cubicle refusal was 6%, but showed great variation (range 0–55%). Regression analysis showed a significant association between rearing heifers in slatted floor pens and an increased cubicle refusal occurrence (p = 0.02, R2 = 0.05), while herd size, use of litter, or cubicle-to-animal ratio were not found to be associated with cubicle refusal. The practice of rearing heifers in slatted floor pens accounted for about one half of the observed cubicle refusal (etiologic fraction = 0.51).

Resting and social behaviour of dairy heifers housed in slatted floor pens with different sized bedded lying areas

The hypothesis that an increase in the straw bedded resting area for group housed heifers would increase synchronization of resting behaviour and decrease aggressive and abnormal behaviour was tested. An experiment was conducted on two Danish commercial dairy farms with 20 Danish Friesian heifers (approximately 400 kg) from November 1994 to April 1995. The experimental pens were constructed on existing slatted floor and contained a total area of 27 m 2 per pen with five heifers in each pen. Three different sizes of lying area (1.8, 2.7 and 3.6 m 2 per heifer) bedded with straw were established in each pen for three consecutive periods of 5 weeks. Resting and social behaviour were recorded using direct observations for 24 h at the end of each 5 week treatment period. The synchronization of resting behaviour was reduced ( P = 0.002) when the heifers were offered 1.8 m 2 bedded lying area per heifer compared with 2.7 or 3.6 m 2 per heifer, and the heifers were more aggressive, as more butting ( P = 0.007) and forcing another heifer to stand up ( P = 0.02) were seen. The frequency of leaning against other heifers was highest ( P = 0.05) at the lowest space allowance in the bedded area. The results indicate that increasing the resting area from 1.8 m 2 to 2.7 or 3.6 m 2 per heifer improved the welfare of group housed dairy heifers.

Short time effect of zinc bacitracin and heavy fouling with faeces plus urine on boar taint

AbstractThe aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of a short-term addition of an antibiotic food additive (50 mg zinc bacitracin per kg food) on skatole concentration in faeces, blood (vena jugularis) and backfat of boars kept under two housing conditions at summer temperatures. They were kept clean or were heavily fouled with faeces plus urine. The experimental material consisted of six litters in each of four replicates, in total 24 litters, each litter of four boars. Fourteen days before slaughter the boars were distributed to the four treatments in four equally large pens according to litter and start weight. Two pens had a wholly slatted floor and two pens had a concrete floor, and each pen held six boars allowing 0·6 m2 per boar. All boars were kept at high pig house temperatures (22°C). In the two wholly slatted-floor pens the boars were kept very clean and in the two concrete floor pens boars were kept heavily fouled with faeces and urine during the final 14 days before slaughter. Boars in half the pens of both floor types were given an antibiotic food additive (50 mg zinc bacitracin per kg food) in the last week before slaughter.Administration of the food additive zinc bacitracin significantly decreased the skatole level in blood and backfat in both clean and dirty boars when used for 3 and 7 days before slaughter. The experiment further confirmed that boars at high stocking rate and lying in copious amounts of warm faeces and urine at temperatures of 25°C or more, for at least a week, had higher indole and skatole levels in blood and subcutaneous fat than pigs which were kept clean. The androstenone concentration in backfat was not significantly influenced by either of the two treatments. A highly significant correlation between skatole in blood (vena jugularis) and in backfat was found at the day of slaughter (r = 0·98).

Indoor space allowance: effects on growth, behaviour, adrenal and immune responses of finishing beef heifers

AbstractThe objective was to determine the daily live-weight gain, behaviour, adrenal and immune responses of finishing beef heifers housed at two different space allowances. Heifers (no. = 32) with a mean live weight of466 (s.e. 3·6) kg were assigned to either 1·5 or 3·0 m2 average individual space allowance in four slatted-floor pens (two per treatment) for a period of 104 days. On days 5, 40, 68 and 96, heifers (no. = eight per treatment, four per pen) were challenged with 1·98 i.u. ACTH per kg M0·75, and serial blood samples were analysed for plasma cortisol concentrations. The other 16 heifers were immunized against keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) on day 28, and blood samples collected on days 28, 42, 56, 70, 84 and 98 were analysed for anti-KLH immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations. All heifers were blood sampled on days 0, 14, 56 and 98, and red and white blood cell numbers, packed cell volume (PCV) and plasma concentrations of creatine kinase (CK), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and urea were determined. Behavioural observations were conducted on days 8, 43, 71 and 99 by scan sampling for 24 h (10-min intervals), and continuous 4-h observations were conducted on days 100 and 101.Heifers at 1·5 m2 space allowance had a lower daily live-weight gain compared with those at 3·0 m2 (0·60 v. 0·87 (s.e. 0·04) kg; P &lt; 0·001). Heifers at 1·5 m2 had lower pre-ACTH baseline cortisol concentrations (P &lt; 0·05) and lower post-ACTH peak cortisol concentrations (P &lt; 0·05). There were no effects of treatment on serum anti-KLH IgG1 or IgG2 responses (P &gt; 0·05). Heifers at 1·5 m2 had lower plasma NEFA concentrations (P &lt; 0·05). Red and white blood cell numbers, PCV, CK and urea were not affected by treatment (P &gt; 0·05). The time spent lying down was lower for heifers at 1·5 m2 (10·0 v. 21·1 h/day; P &lt; 0·05). Social interactions were fewer (P &lt; 0·05), and incidence of head-resting behaviour was higher (P &lt; 0·05) among heifers at 1·5 m2 compared with 3·0 m2 space allowance. In conclusion, the restricted space allowance resulted in a substantial decrease in daily live-weight gain, and changes in adrenal response and behaviour.

Effect of barley, sugar beet pulp and protein level in the diet on growth, body composition and blood metabolites and insulin concentrations of entire male lambs

There is a continuing requirement to improve the lean content of meat, efficiently produced, as food for human consumers. Hormonal anabolic compounds which stimulate the deposition of lean tissue and reduce fat accretion in ruminant animals are not permitted in the UK. In the absence of the use of such exogenous compounds, alternative currently practical means of manipulating body composition include the use of genetic selection and alterations in nutrition. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of diets differing in the source of carbohydrate and in protein level. The diets chosen were based on barley (diet B) in which starch predominates and sugar beet pulp (diet P) which contains greater quantities of cellulose and hemi-cellulose.Twenty-eight crossbred (Suffolk ♂ x mule ♀ )entire male lambs were used in the experiment. They were housed at approximately eight weeks of age in individual slatted-floor pens and gradually introduced to experimental diets over a period of three weeks prior to the commencement of the study. Four pelleted diets were offered.

Effects of Housing, Milk Feeding Management, and Ration Formulation on Calf Growth and Feed Intake

Abstract Three housing systems for calves were compared in two experiments, 1) bedded pens in a closed barn, 2) outdoor movable pens, and 3) elevated, slatted floor pens with a semiautomated manure flushing system. No differences in growth rates due to housing system or interactions with rations or milk feeding systems were significant. In Experiment 1, 115 calves were fed a mixture of whole milk and colostrum either once or twice daily and weaned at 28 days of age. Growth and feed intake to 84 days did not differ. A basic corn-soybean meal plus supplement ration was compared to rations similar except for addition of 15% cottonseed hulls, 30% citrus pulp, or both. Addition of 15% cottonseed hulls resulted in greater weight gains, 30% citrus pulp less, and the other two intermediate. Experiments calves (62) were fed either whole milk and colostrum or mastitic milk. No differences in weight gains were significant. The ration of 15% cottonseed hulls fed in Experiment 1 was compared with 5 and 25% hulls. No differences in growth were detected, but intake increased with added hulls. Since housing system and feeding frequency had no detectable effects on growth or survival rates, other factors should enter into selection of the program. Further, when economically feasible, use of cottonseed hulls seems indicated.

The Influence of Slatted Floor and Litter Floor on the Genetic Variations in Chickens

It is a known fact that interaction between environmental factors and genetic variations influences the accuracy of artificial selection and impedes the distribution of improved genotypes into a diverse environment. Slatted and litter floor chicken laying houses are two contrasting environmental conditions for laying chickens. Since the former tends to be prevalent in use, a study of the interaction between floor differences and genetic variations would be of interest to both poultry breeders and egg producers.A two-pen house, with approximately 20×20 square feet of floor space in each pen, was used in the experiment. One pen had a slatted floor, while the other had a wood-shavings litter floor. The slatted floor pen accommodated 360 pullets and 18 cockerels, while the litter floor pen accommodated 127 pullets and 6 cockerels. The average floor space for each chicken was approximately one square foot in the slatted floor pen, and 3 square …