The effects of floor type systems on the performance, cleanliness, carcasscomposition and meat quality of housed finishing beef cattle

The objective of this experiment was to examine the effects of using differ ent types of floors in accommodation for beef cattle on their performance, cleanliness, carcass composition and meat quality. In Year 1, 60 Continenta l-cross steers (mean initial live weight 450 kg (S.E.M. 2.5 kp)) were block ed according to live weight and randomly assigned within blocks to one of t hree floor types, namely fully slatted floors fully slatted floors covered with perforated rubber mats or solid floors bedded with straw. In Year 2 an additional treatment, which consisted of rubber strips secured directly on to slats, was used. Twenty steers were accommodated on each of the floor ty pes in each year and thus in Year 2 a total of 80 steers were used (mean in itial live weight 423 kg (S.E.M. 2.5 kg)), There were four pens of five ani mals in each treatment. Daily food intakes and live-weight and carcass weig ht gains were determined for a mean duration of 140 days in Year 1 and 142 days in Year 2. All cattle were scored for dirtiness at the beginning and e nd of the experiment. Overall carcass composition was estimated from the di ssection of fibre-rib joints. Meat quality was also assessed instrumentally . Then was no significant effect of floor type on production parameters suc h as live-weight and carcass gains and carcass composition or on meat quali ty. Cattle accommodated on either conventional slats or those covered with perforated rubber mats were significantly dirtier than those on straw in Ye ar 1 (P < 0.001). However, in Year 2 there was no significant difference in dirtiness between cattle on slats, rubber strips or straw, but cattle on r ubber mars were significantly dirtier than those on strips or straw (P < 0. 05). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.