Table 3 Intake, performance, slaughter traits, hoof scores, behaviour of finishing beef steers housed on concrete slats, Mat 1, Mat 2, Mat 3 and OWP’s

Initial weight (kg)

538.4

538.4

538.4

538.4

539.1

NS

Final weight (kg)

677.2

693.4

676.1

682.6

699.5

NS

Carcass (kg)

371.9

385.8

374.7

381.1

384.7

NS

Live weight gain/day

0.93^a

1.04

0.92^a

0.97

1.08^b

P = 0.011

Kill out proportion (KO) (%)

55.0

55.7

55.4

55.8

55.1

NS

Kidney and channel fat (kg)

11.2

10.7

11.4

10.9

11.2

NS

Carcass composition score¹

9.0

9.5

8.8

9.1

9.4

NS

Carcass fat score²

10.7

10.7

10.9

10.8

10.7

NS

Dry matter intake (DMI) kg/animal/day

9.1^a

9.3^a

9.2^a

9.2^a

10.1^b

P < 0.001

DMI/LWG

9.9

9.0

10.0

9.5

9.5

NS

FCR (kg DMI/kg of LWG gained)³

9.9

9.0

10.0

9.5

9.5

NS

Hoof lesions⁴

20^a

33^b

32^b

30^b

24^a,b

P = 0.050

Percent lying time (%)

49.4^a

47.2^a

48.7^a

45.2^a

38.0^b

P < 0.001

Percent eating (%)

18.1^a

20.6

18.0^a

20.9

22.1^b

P = 0.003

Percent drinking time (%)

0.60^a

0.48

0.54^a

0.51

0.38^b

P = 0.010