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Behavioral Traits of Feedlot Steers in Iowa¹

Iowa State University,^,3 Ames 50010

Abstract

The activities of randomly selected individual steers within lots with self feeders were studied in Iowa during two summer trials and one winter trial over a 3-year period.

Total daily eating time of approximately 2 1/3 hr. was unaffected by season. Time spent eating was significantly affected (P<.01) by period within day in all trials. In summer, the greatest activity occurred in late afternoon (3 to 6 pm) and early evening (6 to 9 pm) and a smaller peak occurred near sunrise (6 to 9 am). In winter, the greatest eating activity occurred in the late afternoon (3 to 6 pm).

Both water consumption (P<.001) and time spent drinking (P<.10) were greater during the summer than during the winter (30.7 vs. 19.2 liters; 15.4 vs. 12.2 min.) and varied with temperature within day.

Cattle spent significantly more (P<.001) time in shelter during summer than winter (46.8 vs. 21.8% of the day).

¹ Journal Paper No. J-7522 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Stations, Ames. Project No. 1801.

² The authors acknowledge the assistance of P. J. Berger in the statistical analysis.

³ Department of Animal Science.