PSIX-27 Effect of environmental enrichment devices on behavior of individually housed beef heifers.

Abstract

Environmental enrichment devices (EED) may alleviate the negative effects individual housing can have on cattle. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different EED on behavior and feed intake of heifers. Twenty mixed breed heifers from a single ranch were used in a completely randomized design. Heifers were housed individually with the ability to have physical contact with adjacent heifers. Heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 EED treatments including a jolly ball (JLY), a broom head (SRCH), a 182 cm 5-knot rope (RP), or a horse Pas-a-Fier roller (RLR). Jolly balls were placed on the pen floor, broom heads and Pas-a-Fiers were mounted on the pen gates, and ropes were suspended from the ceiling. Behavior was recorded using daily instantaneous scan sampling in 30 min intervals over 3 periods: 7 d prior to addition of EED (PRE), 7 d with EED (EOP), and 7 d after removing EED (POST). Exploratory behavior was broken down into interaction with water trough, feed bunk, water pipe, pen gate, pen wall, EED, grooming, or allogrooming. Cud chewing behavior was also recorded during each observation time, and DMI was measured daily for each animal. Time standing and standing bouts were greatest for RP (P < 0.05), while JLY and RLR spent the most time lying down (P < 0.05). Heifers spent the majority of observation times lying down, followed by standing (P < 0.05). Standing time decreased from PRE to EOP and POST (P < 0.05). Heifers on the RP treatment interacted the most with their EED, followed by SRCH (P < 0.001). Cud chewing increased during EOP (P < 0.001). These results suggest that a rope EED suspended from the ceiling in the pen may be used most frequently by individually housed beef heifers.