Comparison of steer behavior when housed in a deep-bedded hoop barn versus an open feedlot with shelter

The use of hoop barns as an alterna- tive housing system for beef cattle has not been widely researched. The objectives of this study were to deter- mine the main effects of behavior of steers 1) over win- ter and summer, 2) when housed in either a hoop barn or a conventional feedlot, and 3) interactions between season and housing system. A total of 960 crossbred Bos taurus steers were used (August 2006 to April 2008 (2 winter and 2 summer trials)). Steers were housed in either 1 deep-bedded hoop barn (n = 12 pens; 4.65 m 2 /steer) or 1 open feedlot with shelter (n = 12 pens; 14.7 m 2 /steer). Steers were ear tagged, implanted, and weighed (414 ± 36 kg) on arrival and allotted to treat- ments that were balanced for source, BW, and hide color. Behavioral data (3 postures and 2 behaviors) were collected using a 10-min live scan. The experi- mental unit for behavior was a pen of steers. Behav- ioral data were arcsine transformed to achieve a normal distribution. There were no (P > 0.05) differences for time spent at bunk or waterer for steers between hous- ing treatments. Steers housed in an open feedlot with shelter spent less time lying and more time standing and walking (P 0.05) differences in time spent at bunk and waterer between housing systems within season, but time spent at the waterer and bunk decreased (P < 0.05) for both housing systems during the winter. In conclusion, hous- ing 40 steers per pen in a cornstalk-bedded hoop barn at 4.65m 2 /steer does not result in adverse behavioral alterations and can be considered as a housing alterna- tive for finishing steers in the Midwestern United States when compared with steers fed in an open feedlot with shelter provided.