Effect of restricted access to water, hay or salt on liveweights of steers

Abstract

Fifty Hereford and Hereford cross steers (574 ¦ 1.9 kg mean ¦ s.e. initial liveweight) were purchased at a saleyard and given varying access to water, hay and salt for 46 h, to examine the effect of simulated on-farm treatments, prior to transport to a saleyard, on liveweight differences before and after access to water at the saleyard. Restricting access to feed or water reduced liveweight, the major effect being due to availability of water. Groups with hay only, or no feed or water, had similar liveweights, but were 29 kg lighter (P<0.05) at the end of this period than steers with access to water, water and hay, or water, hay and salt. All steers lost weight when denied access to feed and water for 5 h to simulate the transport and yarding phase of the marketing process. The range in mean liveweights of the different groups was reduced from 36.5 kg at the start of this period to 29.5 kg at the end. All steers were then given ad libitum access to water for 15 h. They gained liveweight during first 2 h on water and thereafter lost weight. The extent of these gains was influenced by the magnitude of earlier weight losses. Access to water for 4 h was sufficient to reduce variation in mean liveweight between groups from 29.5 kg to 19.6 kg; this occurred mainly during the first hour. A further reduction to 14.0 kg occurred after 15 h of access to water. Consideration should be given to providing access to water before weighing at those cattle liveweight auctions which presently impose a fast from feed and water.