During transportation, cattle are often restricted from access to feed and water. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of 18-hour feed and water restriction or transit on cattle behavior. Cattle were divided into 3 treatment groups with 12 cattle cattle in each group: a control group that had no restricted access to food and water in their home pen, a deprived group that did not have access to food or water for 18 hours in their home pen, and a group of steers that were on a trailer for 18 hours without access to food and water . Bunk displacements and preferences were assessed via video recordings by a trained observer. Each pen was analyzed for two hours in ten-minute intervals for bunk displacement behavior. Preferences were recorded by the amount of time it took to drink, eat, and lay down on an individual basis. Based on the results of our study, cattle that are trucked for long periods prefer to fulfill the need to lay down first and that cattle that are restricted from feed access in their home pens displace more when feed access is restored.
Duration: 12/07/2019
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Stephanie Hansen