Performance and carcass characteristics of finishing beef cattle managed in a bedded hoop-barn system

The use of bedded hoop barns in fin- ishing systems for beef cattle has not been widely re- searched. In this management system, beef cattle are confined to hoop barns throughout finishing, and bed- ding is used to absorb animal waste, which results in minimal effluent. The objective of this study was to compare the performance and carcass characteristics of finishing beef steers (n = 1,428) managed in a bed- ded hoop-barn management system vs. an open-feedlot system with shelter. Six feeding trials were conducted over a 3-yr period. Three trials were conducted during summer-fall and 3 trials were conducted during winter- spring. Crossbred steers were allotted to 3 pens in the hoop-barn system and to 3 pens in the open-lot system (approximately 40 steers per pen in both facility sys- tems). Stocking densities for the steers were 4.65 m 2 per steer in the hoop-barn system and 14.7 m 2 per steer in the open-lot system. The steers were begun on trial weighing 410 and 411 kg (SD = 21), were fed for 102.3 and 103.0 d (SD = 3.8), and were weighed off test at 595 and 602 kg (SD = 21) for the hoop-barn and open- lot systems, respectively. Steer performance measures consisted of ADG, DMI, and G:F. Carcass character- istics were HCW, fat thickness, LM area, KPH per- centage, marbling score, USDA yield grade, and USDA quality grade. No year, season, or pen (management system) main effects, or season × management system and year × management system interactions were ob- served for any of the items measured related to cattle performance or carcass characteristics (P > 0.05). Final mud scores (a subjective evaluation of the amount of soil and manure adhering to the hair coat of the ani- mals) were greater for the steers from the open-lot sys- tem compared with those from the hoop-barn system (P < 0.02), suggesting steers in the hoop-barn system carried less mud than steers from the open-lot system. Average daily cornstalk bedding use in the hoop-barn system was 2.3 kg/steer during summer-fall and 2.6 kg/steer during winter-spring. The performance of fin- ishing cattle managed in a hoop-barn system was not different from the performance of cattle managed in an open-feedlot system with shelter during summer and winter. Managing beef cattle in hoop barns required more bedding but resulted in decreased mud scores compared with cattle managed in an open-lot system with shelter. Hoop barns are a viable alternative hous- ing management system for finishing beef cattle.