Animal Science, Department of
Date of this Version
2011
Abstract
Estimated mud depth and benefits of bedding were simulated under winter environmental conditions. In general, providing greater pen area per animal decreased mud depth. At lower temperatures (16 °F), 250 or 350 ft2 of pen space produced similar depths of mud and approximately 1 inch less than with the 150 ft2 allocations. Under the coldest (16 °F) and wettest (6 inches total precipitation) conditions, cost of gain (COG) was 56.1% ($1.07/lb) greater than with no precipitation falling at 26 °F, while use of bedding reduced COG to $0.80 /lb or just 17.3% greater than COG under more ideal conditions at 26 °F.
Comments
Published in 2011 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report. Published by the Agricultural Research Division, University of Nebraska Extension, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Copyright © 2011 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska.