Sources:
NDSU
Carrington
Research
Extension
Center
, and Raylene Nickel, Beef Quality
Connection
As
experienced cattle producers in the
Upper Midwest
know, winter can be rough.
Subzero temps, wind, snow and ice can
wreak havoc on feedlot cattle, but the
practice of bedding can help cattle
“weather” winter in more ways than just
keeping them comfortable.
Research conducted by
NDSU
Carrington
Research
Extension
Center
has shown that bedding feedlot pens through
winter and early spring can greatly increase
the percentage
of cattle grading Choice. At the end of the
research trial in 2003, generously bedded
calves averaged 75% Choice; moderately
bedded calves went 50% Choice, while
unbedded calves averaged only 25% Choice.
In addition to the higher percentage
of choice cattle, the trial also showed that
there were significant advantages in average
daily gain.
Despite unusually mild winter weather
with little snow and only a few days of
subzero temperatures, differences in average
daily gain (ADG) were significant as well
between the unbedded and bedded cattle.
Steers with no bedding gained 3.16
lb./head/day, while steers with modest
bedding and extra bedding gained 3.63 and
3.60 lb./head/day respectively.
(See Table 3, on the next page.)
With more severe winter weather in
the second year of the study, differences in
