Effect of various feed and water regimens at saleyards on the liveweight of store cattle

Abstract

In two experiments in Queensland, various feed and water regimens were imposed on steers to simulate the effects of different curfew and sale procedures on liveweight. 1 After 148 Hereford steers (256 kg mean initial liveweight) were deprived of feed and water for 12, 36 or 60 h (partly during a 70 km journey), they were held with or without water during the 'curfew' and 'sale'. At the end of the transportation + fasting period, the 12 h group was 20 kg heavier (P<0.01) than the 60 h group. By the start of the 'sale', this difference was reduced to 11 kg for groups on water, but to only 17 kg for groups without water. During the 'sale', groups on water maintained weight whereas those without water continued to lose weight (P<0.01). 2 After a journey of 1380 km, 148 Brahman crossbred steers (349 kg initial mean liveweight) were given access to water (i) during the 'pre-curfew', 'curfew' and 'sale' periods, (ii) as for (i) but also feed during the 'pre-curfew', (iii)1 during the 'pre-curfew' period only or (iv) were denied water throughout. At the start of the 'sale', their respective liveweights were 309, 31 5, 310 and 290 kg (P<0.01). Trends in liveweight during the 'sale' were the same as in the first experiment. Providing water for cattle during the 'curfew' and 'sale' periods reduced substantially the variation in liveweight caused by different pre-curfew fasting times between groups of similar animals, stabilized liveweight, and ensured animals were not dehydrated.