RADIO-FREQUENCY TECHNOLOGY TO MEASURE FEEDING-BEHAVIOR AND HEALTH OF FEEDLOT STEERS

Radio frequency (RF) technology was used to collect information on the feeding patterns of 108 steers (average weight 139 kg) for 32 days af ter entering the feedlot. Each animal was equipped with an RF tag, and its presence at the feedbunk was recorded continuously throughout the entire period. Average time at the feedbunk was compared between heal thy (n = 53) and morbid (n = 55) steers. Morbid steers included all an imals which were removed from the pen and medicated for any reason. He althy steers spent 30% more time (P < 0.001) at the feedbunk than morb id steers. These differences were most pronounced during the first fou r days. Patterns of feedbunk visits associated with feed delivery time s were similar between healthy and morbid steers, except the average p ercentage of healthy steers present was 13 percentage units greater (P < 0.01) than for morbid steers. This technology has the potential to identify sick animals and improve feedlot health management practices. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.