Table 4.
Overview of the effect of different housing system types on beef cattle behavior, productivity, product quality and physiology. Housing systems are reported in the same language as they were presented by original study authors. Inclusion of significant results was determined at p < 0.05.
| Metric Evaluated | Housing System | Reference, Location | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confined Feedlot (CF) | Loose Barn (LB) | Feedlot with Shelter (FS) | Pasture (P) | Individual Wooden Crates (I) | ||
| Behavior | ||||||
| Allogrooming | ||||||
| Duration | - | <P | - | - | - | [15] g, Finland |
| Frequency | - | - | - | - | <GP a | [16] f, Italy |
| Feeding | ||||||
| Duration | - | >P | - | - | - | [17] f, [15] g, Italy, Finland |
| Foraging | ||||||
| Duration | - | <P | - | - | - | [15] g, Finland |
| Lying | ||||||
| Duration | - | <P | <HB b | - | - | [18] e, [15] f, USA, Finland |
| Mounting | ||||||
| Duration | - | <P | - | - | - | [15] g, Finland |
| Negative social behaviors | >CFP c and P | >P | - | - | [19] f, Uruguay | |
| Rumination | ||||||
| Duration | - | <P | - | - | - | [15] g, Finland |
| Self-grooming | ||||||
| Frequency | - | - | - | - | >GP | [20] f, Italy |
| Sham rumination | ||||||
| Frequency | - | - | - | - | <GP | [20] f, Italy |
| Standing | ||||||
| Duration | - | >P | >HB | - | - | [18] e, [15] f, USA, Finland |
| Tongue play | ||||||
| Frequency | - | - | - | - | >GP | [20] f, Italy |
| Vocalization | ||||||
| Duration | - | <P | - | - | - | [17] f, Italy |
| Waking | ||||||
| Duration | - | <P | >HB | - | - | [18] e, [15] f, USA, Finland |
| Productivity | ||||||
| ADG | - | >P | - | - | - | [17] f, Italy |
| BCS | - | >P | - | - | - | [17] f, Italy |
| Final live weight | - | >P | - | - | - | [17] f, Italy |
| Product quality | ||||||
| Color scores | - | - | - | - | <GP | [20] f, Italy |
| Cooking weight loss (%) | - | - | - | - | >GP | [20] f, Italy |
| EUROP scores | - | - | - | - | <GP | [20] f, Italy |
| Flavor score | - | - | - | - | <GP | [20] f, Italy |
| Tenderness score | - | - | - | - | <GP | [20] f, Italy |
| Physiology | ||||||
| Alkaline phosphate | - | - | - | <CF and CFP | - | [19] f, Uruguay |
| Blood urea nitrogen levels | - | - | - | >CF and CFP | - | [19] f, Uruguay |
| Calcium levels | - | - | - | - | - | [17] f, [15] g, Italy, Finland |
| Cortisol (fecal, serum) | - | <TS d | - | - | - | [21] f, Italy |
| Hemoglobin | - | - | - | - | <GP | [20] f, Italy |
| Lysozyme | - | <TS | - | - | - | [21] f, Italy |
| Packed cell volume (%) | - | - | - | - | <GP | [20] f, Italy |
| Serum protein | - | <TS | - | - | - | [21] f, Italy |
a Group pens (GP); b Hoop barn (HB); c Confined feedlot with access to pasture (CFP); d Tie stalls (TS); e Age not provided; f < 1 year; g 1–2 years.