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An Examination of Some Physiological Variables for Assessing the Welfare of Beef Cattle in Feedlots

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

S C Wilson ,
L R Fell ,
I G Colditz  and
D P Collins
S C Wilson*
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Texas Tech University, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, Texas 79430-6591, USA
L R Fell
Affiliation:
Co-operative Research Centre for Cattle and Beef Quality, University of New England, Annidale, 2350 NSW, Australia
I G Colditz
Affiliation:
CSIRO Livestock Industries, Pastoral Research Laboratory, Annidale, 2350 NSW, Australia
D P Collins
Affiliation:
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Texas Tech University, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, Texas 79430-6591, USA
*
§ Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: stewilso@ttacs.ttu.edu
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Abstract

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Some physiological variables which could aid in assessing the welfare of beef cattle in feedlots were screened in this exploratory study. In two experiments, each of 42 days duration, the physiological responses of Bos taurus steers to three treatments were investigated: pasture (rotation between 1.5 hectare paddocks); a feedlot yard stocked at 12.0 m2 per head with a dry, firm pen surface; and a ‘high-density’ feedlot yard stocked at 6.0 m2 per head with a wet and muddy pen surface. Fourteen steers were used per group per experiment. Relative adrenal mass in both feedlot groups was 8-10% higher than in the pasture group, and this finding was supported by morphological measurements of the adrenal glands. Out of 17 immune variables examined, only serum IgA and the T-cell lymphocytes subpopulation WC+1 showed consistent differences between the feedlot and pasture groups. Interestingly, no differences were observed between the two feedlot treatments. It was concluded that although there may have been some disruption of epithelial/mucosal immunity, more support was required from other immune variables before it could be stated that the immune system was depressed and that pre-pathological states existed in the feedlot groups. However, measures of relative adrenal weight, adrenal index, serum IgA and WC1+ lymphocytes are good candidates for use in future welfare investigations of feedlot cattle.

Keywords

animal welfarecattlefeedlotphysiological indices
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 11 , Issue 3 , August 2002 , pp. 305 - 316
Copyright
© 2002 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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