# Feasibility of Adding Supplemental Solid Rubber Mats to a Confined Slatted Barn Cattle Feedlot System

## TL;DR

This study tested if adding rubber mats to indoor cattle feedlots improves animal welfare and reduces lameness, finding mixed results with cleanliness challenges.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the feasibility of adding solid rubber mats to slatted barn floors for cattle welfare in a real-world setting.

## Key findings

- Cattle readily used the rubber mats, indicating acceptance of the flooring change.
- Steer calves became dirtier than heifers, suggesting cleanliness issues with the mats.
- Early culling rates were higher for heifers (43%) compared to steers (19%).

## Abstract

Lameness is known to impact many feedlot cattle and is both a welfare and a management concern. For cattle housed indoors, the quality of the lying surface may be a contributing factor. Early-weaned beef cattle entering indoor feedlot facilities in the winter were provided supplemental rubber mats for three months. This management change was implemented to determine if creating a more comfortable lying area was feasible and if the animals would cope well with this flooring change. Additionally clinical, behavioral, and other welfare variables were observed to help determine normal behavior of these calves and if the mats were causing any problems. Both heifer and steer calves were used in this project, and differences were observed in their outcomes.

Indoor housed cattle, particularly those housed in slatted floor barns, may develop specific types of lameness associated with their housing environment. Previous studies have demonstrated that cattle raised on slats that are fitted with rubber perform better than cattle that are on concrete slats alone; however, lameness continues to be a problem even with this modification. This project investigated the feasibility of adding additional commercially available solid mats to the rubber-coated slatted floor barn and observing animal behavior and outcomes in a group setting. The objective was to determine if creating an improved lying area through a relatively simple management change could positively impact the outcome of these animals. Commercial mats were simple to install and were used immediately and extensively by the cattle. However, the outcome provided mixed results. The additional mats provided challenges with cleanliness. Steer calves became dirty faster and more severely than heifers. Forty-three percent of the heifer calves and 19% of the steers were culled early. More work is needed to better understand and provide solutions for this welfare issue.