The effect of shade on steer performance after terminal sort

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Agricultural Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Heat stress negatively impacts livestock performance and welfare.
• Previous research on shade's effect on cattle performance has yielded inconsistent results.
• Understanding heat stress mitigation strategies is crucial for sustainable animal agriculture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of shade provision on steer performance and welfare in a commercial feedyard setting.
• To quantify the effects of shade on water consumption, feed intake, behavior, and carcass traits.
• To assess the role of shade as a management tool for mitigating heat stress in finishing cattle.

Main Methods:

• A pen-level randomized controlled trial comparing shade (2.8 m²/head) versus no shade.
• Data collection included water consumption, feed delivery, disease events, open mouth breathing (OMB) behavior, and carcass traits.
• Study conducted at a commercial feedyard in the Pacific Northwest on steers housed on concrete floors.

Main Results:

• Shade reduced water consumption by 15% and OMB behavior (P=0.09).
• Pens without shade experienced a 6% decrease in feed delivery when the temperature-humidity index (THI) was ≥80.
• Shade reduced the number of culled steers (P<0.05) and dark cutters (P<0.05), while increasing the proportion of choice and prime grades (93% vs. 91%).

Conclusions:

• Shade provision is an effective strategy for improving animal health, welfare, and carcass quality in finishing cattle.
• Shade mitigates negative impacts of heat stress during summer months in commercial feedyards.
• Shade should be recognized as a valuable management tool for environmental stewardship and economic benefit in cattle production.