“Feet and Legs: Part One”
by Chris Reinhardt, feedlot specialist
After what has been a long, difficult, winter, feedlot pens are going to need a great deal of repair. This is absolutely critical for performance of the next turn of cattle which will occupy the pen. There have been feed yards which were unable to get pens repaired after a particularly oppressive winter prior to the following winter season and performance suffered greatly—throughout the summer months, the winter, and the following spring.
For optimum intake, gain, and conversion, cattle need smooth, solid surfaces on which to lie down and walk to the bunk and water tanks. Mound space is absolutely essential during wet and/or cold weather to provide comfort to the cattle. It may be said that cattle process and metabolize nutrients more efficiently and burn less energy when lying down than when standing or walking. Therefore, we want to encourage the cattle to move to the bunk to eat as often as possible, but when satisfied, we also need to provide a comfortable place to rest.
As cattle grow, there is greater strain on their legs and joints, making resting time even more essential for optimum performance. If cattle have been slogging through hock deep (or deeper) mud all winter the strain on the joints can be tremendous, especially as they approach finish weight. Clean out excess mud as frequently as possible during or following wet conditions.
One often overlooked source of lameness is foot injury within the home pen. During pen maintenance, take special care to evaluate edges of the concrete pad for broken concrete or exceptionally rough areas. This is especially critical in high traffic areas between the pad, the water tanks, and the mounds. Make sure the junction from the concrete to the dirt area is relatively seamless; a large hole behind the pad not only discourages travel to and from feed and water, the large step required may be a source of injury. Repair these broken and rough areas early, before they can do irreparable harm to cattle welfare and performance.
Clean, comfortable, resting and traffic areas are a good investment: like money in the bank.
