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http://dx.doi.org/10.5713/ajas.19.0941

Effects of surface materials of self-draining beds on cattle behavior in a temperate climate  

Liu, Ping (Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University)
Guo, Lulu (Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University)
Zhang, Fulan (Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University)
Li, Lin (Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University)
Mao, Huaming (Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University)
Gu, Zhaobing (Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University)
Publication Information
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences / v.33, no.11, 2020 , pp. 1866-1872 More about this Journal
Abstract
Objective: The objective of the present experiment was to construct self-draining beds to keep surface bedding materials clean and dry for beef cattle comfort in a temperate climate. Methods: In Experiment 1, a self-draining bed was covered with sand at depths of 10 cm (S-10a), 15 cm (S-15), and 20 cm (S-20) respectively. In Experiment 2, self-draining beds of different sizes were covered with 10 cm of sand (S-10b) and wood shavings (WS) at depths of 15 cm and 20 cm (WS-15 and WS-20). Fifteen cattle were engaged to evaluate the comfort of self-draining beds covered with different bedding materials. Results: No cattle lay in the feed alley and cattle spent more time lying on S-10a than S-15 or S-20 in Experiment 1 (p<0.01). No difference in lying time was detected between S-15 and S-20 (p>0.05). In Experiment 2, no cattle selected the feed alley as the lying area. Cattle preferred WS-15 as the lying area and time spent lying on WS-20 was slightly higher than on S-10b (p<0.05). Feces weight was higher in the feed alley than in the different bedding areas in both Experiments 1 and 2 (p<0.01). Conclusion: Sand-bedding depth at 10 cm and WSs at 15 cm above the self-draining bed can provide for the lying comfort of beef cattle. Design of a special feed alley to hold most of the feces to keep bedding materials clean and dry is desirable for organic beef cattle in a loose barn.
Keywords
Cattle; Behavior; Bedding Material; Self-draining Beds;
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