Impact of Pen Environment Mud, Shade and Bunk Space Dr. Terry Mader UNL- Professor Emeritus Mader Consulting, LLC Some contributors to poor animal health and performance Overcrowding Diverse social order Lack of effective pen/bunk /waterer space Improper drainage/pen design Poor pen /bunk cleaning 1
Pen Layout Why is it important Maintain a clean, dry pen surface Cattle Pen Space Requirements GROOMING/MAINTENANCE SLOPE AND DRAINAGE ENVIRONMENT Evaporation Precipitation Urinary output 10 to 30 precipitation Water intake 2
Pen Space Requirements (Ft 2 ) Based on net moisture accumulation AREA Steer Requirement, Ft 2 AZ 100 ± 25 SW Kansas (Panhandle) 140 ± 40 Scottsbluff 175 ± 50 Norfolk, NE 250 ± 75 Central Iowa 350 ± 100 Illinois 450 ± 125 Receiving/backgrounding (calves) in Red (Panhandle vs SE Oklahoma) Equivalent weight Holstein add ~10% Cow add 50-100% Disposition issues add 100% Breed effects??? Bunk Space Requirements Feed availability/uniformity Quality Mixing Sorting Bunk Size Forage vs concentrate Particle size and density Feeding times Bunk Access Pad width Pen/Pad interface 3
Bunk Space Requirements, inches (±20%) FORAGE (Subject to sorting) Times fed per day 1 2+ Calves 15-22 10 Yearlings 22-26 12 Big Yearlings 24-30 14 Cows 24-36 15 HIGH ENERGY Times fed per day 1 2+ Calves 15 6-8 Yearlings 22 10 Big Yearlings 24 11 Cows 30 13 SHADE REQUIREMENTS ~ 2 Ft 2 per 100 lbs. MOUND REQUIREMENTS ~ 2 Ft 2 per l00 lbs. MINIMUM COMFORT ZONE Equals approximately 2X animal displacement area (for some animals it might be 5X) 4
Environmental by Pen and Animal Management Interaction Adverse Environmental Conditions Temperature - + or - Moisture-precipitation/humidity Wind - + or - Radiation - + or - ----WINTER WEATHER ---- WET-MUDDY CONDITIONS -- LARGEST DRAIN ON BODY HEAT -- 3 TO 6 TIMES HEAT LOSS VS A DRY ANIMAL Greater performance and economic costs than normal Summer heat stress 5
Bad years: Generally poor drying conditions, not necessarily associated with additional moisture Problem: Mud + freezing and thawing surfaces % Change in Performance and DMI due to Mud Depth, inches 0 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30-10 -20-30 -40-50 PERF DMI -60-70 -80-90 -100 6
Microclimate modification through bedding Bedding Value Wet animal maintenance requirement 50% ~ 10 lb hay (50 +) or 5 lb corn (50 ) or 5 lb bedding/day (20 /day) No bedding or extra feed double pen space 7
Winter Mitigation: Shelter, wind breaks, bedding, etc. Key-clean and dry pens = clean and dry cattle Panting Score 1 (~80bpm) and 2 (2.5) 3 and 4 (>130bpm) Heat Stress Characterization (degree of discomfort/suffering) Mader et al., 2010 8
Mitigation Shade does not change ambient temperature, only the feels-like temperature - Up to 20 degrees F 9
Table 2.5 Temperature of surface of bare ground before and after shading at various times during the day a Shaded time Temperature of Ground Surface ( F) (min) 11 a.m. 12 noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. In sun 124.9 144.3 151.9 153.0 5 104.0 107.6 111.6 113.7 15 98.1 103.1 109.4 109.4 30 98.1 101.3 104.0 105.8 Air temp 91.9 95.0 98.1 104.0 a From Kelly et al. (1950). 10
Behavior issues Space (20-30 sq ft) Sick Animals Shade BT 1-3 o F Heat Stress Indicators Heat Index human Temperature Humidity Index livestock USDA MARC cattle respiration rate/index HLI Australia black globe index CCI Comprehensive Climate Index 11
Comprehensive Climate Index (CCI-Mader et al, 2010) single index for both hot and cold conditions Adjust ambient temperature for: Relative humidity (RH) Wind speed (WS) Radiation (R) Solar and Surface effects Bare ground temperatures can be 50 F degrees greater than air temperature Currently used by Oklahoma Mesonet Network http://cattlecomfort.mesonet.us/ 12
Water Management 13
Water Accessibility Limited?? Water trough space needed.75-1 linear inch//hd winter 2+ linear inches/hd summer For receiving cattle - space and configuration are important 5 gallons of water at 68 ºF can reduce body temperature 1.8 ºF or 1 ºC for an 800 lb animal and 1.2 ºF for a 1200 lb animal 14
Water temperature effects (3 years) 65 ºF 90 ºF, % DM intake, lb 18.7 17.9-4.3 Daily gain, lb 2.61 2.34-10.3 Lofgreen et al., 1975 Warm water decreases intake and gain. Water temperature effects (sheep) Water temperature 68 ºF 86 ºF 104 ºF - - - cool room (68 ºF) - - - DWI, % increase -- 11.2 6.5 - - - hot room (95 ºF) - - - DWI, % increase -- 28.8 50.4 Savage et al., 2008 Animals need much more water for cooling if water is warm 15
In hot environments, surface and above ground containment units contribute to warm/hot water SNOW EFFECTS? Questions 16