Beef

Beef Cattle Feeding in a Deep-Bedded Hoop Barn: Year One

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Abstract

A three-year study evaluating the performance of yearling steers in a deep-bedded hoop barn has completed the first year. A 50 × 120 foot hoop barn was constructed at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm in the late fall of 2004. The comparison feedlot is an outside lot with shelter that includes a drive-through feed alley. For the first year of the three-year study, two groups of yearling steers were fed. The first group (Group 1) was put on test August 5, 2005 and marketed on November 15, 2005 for a summer/fall feeding period. The second group (Group 2) was put on test December 21, 2005 and marketed in two drafts on April 4, 2006 and May 10, 2006 for a winter/spring feeding period. Overall the cattle performed similarly with similar carcass data for both housing systems. The information presented is the first year of a three-year study. The cattle had a lower mud score in the hoop barn, particularly for the winter/spring feeding period. As expected the deep-bedded hoop system used more bedding than the semi-confinement lots. The bedded hoop barn required about 5 to 6 lb of cornstalk bedding per head per day that the steers were on feed.

Keywords: ASL R2189

How to Cite:

Busby, W. D., Shouse, S., Honeyman, M. S., Loy, D. D., Harmon, J. D. & Maxwell, D. L., (2007) “Beef Cattle Feeding in a Deep-Bedded Hoop Barn: Year One”, Iowa State University Animal Industry Report 4(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/ans_air-180814-586