November 6, 2003

 

Performance Leaps, Profits Grow: The Benefits of Feedlot Bedding

It has been successfully demonstrated that producers can significantly increase profit by bedding their feedlot cattle, according to Vern Anderson, animal scientist at the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center. After two years of studying the effects of bedding cattle in feedlot situations, Anderson is eager to reveal the results.

"The bottom line is that North Dakota feedlot operators can make $60 to $90 more per head by bedding their cattle in the winter," Anderson says. The benefits in gain, carcass quality and animal cleanliness consistently exceed the cost of bedding.

Researchers arrived at these conclusions after observing trial pens with no bedding, modest bedding and generous bedding. Modest bedding totaled about 200 pounds of straw per head and generous totals approached 400 pounds. Daily applications differed based on need due to weather conditions. Although little difference was noticed between the pens with modest and generous bedding, both bedded pens far outperformed the untreated pens.

"Generously bedded steers gained 3.53 pounds per day, modestly bedded steers gained 3.69, and steers without bedding gained 2.83," Anderson reports. "Most carcass quality traits were also positively affected by bedding."

Final weight, carcass weight and dressing percentage improved, as did marbling scores, rib eye area and the percentage of carcasses grading choice. Twenty three percent of carcasses from steers without bedding graded choice, compared to 45 percent in modestly bedded pens and 63 percent in generously bedded pens.

Yield grade, fat thickness over the 12th rib and internal fat were not affected by bedding, and Anderson recognizes that steers with no bedding may have had more desirable carcasses with another 50 pounds of gain, yet this would have required several more days on feed.

Animal cleanliness is another significant factor to be considered, according to Anderson. "The excessive tag on the non-bedded calves added to their discomfort by reducing any protection dry hair and clean hides provide. A modest amount of bedding was provided to these steers during the last feeding period in year two to alleviate severe stress and improve hide condition prior to market," he says.

Furthermore, Anderson notes that clean cattle are far better received in packing plants as indicated by several food safety experts. The chance of contamination is significantly lower when hides are free of tag.

Economic benefits from added animal comfort are undeniable, according to Anderson. Yet, he believes that the number one advantage of bedding may not be measured economically, but environmentally instead. Preliminary data suggests that bedding may provide a solution to the growing environmental concern of ammonia volatilization from animal manure. "The effects of bedding on nitrogen capture in raw and composted manure will be reported in the near future," Anderson says.

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Source: Vern Anderson, (701) 652-2951, vanderso@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Writer: Teresa Oe, (701) 231-8371, teresa.oe@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu