Variations in the time cattle fast before weighing at a saleyard in southern Queensland.

Abstract

Animal Production in Australia VARIATIONS IN THE TIME CATTLE FAST BEFORE WEIGHING AT A SALEYARD IN SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND J.W. LAPWORTH*, J.R. WYTHES** and R.J. MAYER SUMMARY The times cattle fasted during each phase from yarding on the property to weighing after sale were recorded for a sample of 234 pens, with 2,342 animals, covering four sales at a saleyard in southern Queensland. Only 44% of cattle were offered water between arrival at the saleyard and the start of the designated curfew fast. The median time between yarding and weighing was 29.6 h, whilecattle were without water for 22.8 h (median) and feed for 28.1 h (median) beforeweighing. Our findings indicate that water should always be available to animals at saleyards. INTRODUCTION Curfew systems operate at most saleyards in eastern Australia. When cattle are weighed after sale, it is common practice to fast (no feed and water) animals during a designated curfew period before the sale and through until weighing. The curfew aims to reduce the variation in liveweight due to differences in gut fill between groups of cattle with similar carcass weights. Both the rural and general communities have criticized the curfew fast, in particular because many cattle are not watered on arrival at saleyards and animals may be without water for long periods before the sale commences. In addition, the imposition of a curfew fast is costly and causes problems to saleyard and transport operators. Because of a lack of information on the time intervals that cattle fast between yarding on the property and weighing after sale, we investigated the problem at four sales at a saleyard in southern Queensland in 1979. MATERIALS AND METHODS The saleyard was one of the largest in Queensland with most cattle coming from southern Queensland. Every eight weeks a draw was made to determine the order in which livestock agents would sell cattle during that period. As the first agent to sell rctated weekly, pens used by a particular agent also changed. The curfew started at 2030 h and the sale at 0830 h next morning. Cattle were weighed after sale and in the order of sale. The survey was conducted at four sales during June and August 1979. To ensure a representative sample irrespective cf the total number of cattle, 16 pens were selected at random from each of the following groupings of pens: l-100, 101-200, 201-300 and 301-400, but only six within pens 401-450. The survey pens were inspected at regular intervals between 1700 and 2100 h on the eve of the sale. With the livestock agents' assistance, we recorded the numbers of animals, their owners, the times of arrival at the saleyard and of penning for sale, and whether or not the cattle had access to feed and water before penning. In turn, each owner was contacted to ascertain the times of yarding on the property and of loading for transportation, and whether or not animals were watered and fed. Cattle which came from the 12 closest shires (within 150 km) were designated local and those from other shires were called non-local. * Qld Dept Primary Industries, P.O. Box 231, Warwick, 4370. ** Qld Dept Primary Industries, G.P.O. Box 46, Brisbane, 4001. +' Qld Dept Primary Industries, P.O. Box 102, Toowoomba, 4350. 273 Animal Production in Australia Inspection of the data showed that the various time intervals exhibited distributions skewed heavily to the right. Hence the median was considered to be more appropriate than the average, and non-parametric tests of significance were applied to compare medians from different groups. RESULTS The survey involved 234 pens, with 1,411 local and 931 non-local cattle. Table 1 gives the median times for each phase between yarding and weighing for all four sales. Trends were similar within each sale. Local cattle were yarded for less (P c 0.01) time than non-local ones on the property and fewer were watered before loading (14.5 v 20.9%). They also spent less (P c 0.01) time at the saleyard before being penned for sale, but times between penning and weighing were similar for both groups. The median time between yarding and weighing was 25.7 h for local cattle and 52.8 h for non-local animals (P < 0.01). Fewer local cattle were watered (26.2 v 52.8%) or watered and fed (2.3 v 16.8%) before penning than non-local ones. Despite similar median total times without water before weighing, there was much less variability between local than non-local groups. Local cattle were without feed for a much shorter (P < 0.01) period than non-locals. Figure 1 shows the distribution frequency for total times without water by source of origin and Fig. 2 total times without feed and water. TABLE 1 The median times (h) and interquartil e ranges (i n parentheses) for each phase between yar ding on the propertyV and weighi ng after sale DISCUSSION The similarity in the total times off water befcre weighing fcr local and non-local cattle resulted from few local cattle being offered water before penning, while most non-local animals had an opportunity to drink. Not only were both penned about 19 h before weighing, but the imposition of a curfew fast meant that cattle were without water for almost double the official curfew time. An equally important finding was that the variation in total times frcm yarding to weighing between all groups was substantial, although greater fcr non-local than local cattle. Since substantial variation in liveweight can arise between grcups of similar cattle fasted for various times (Wythes et al. 1980a; Wythes et al. 1981), as well as in dressing percentage and hydration status (Wythes et al, 1980b; Wythes unpub. data), it follows that ccnsiderable variations 274 Animal Production in Australia Total time (h) Fig. 1. Distribution frequency for total time s without water by source of origin Total time (h) Fig. 2. Distribution frequency for total times without feed by source of origin 275 Animal Production in Australia existed between all groups in our study. However, these workers found that differences were reduced greatly when all cattle had access to water. They susgested that a better way to achieve the aim of the curfew was to give cattle access to water from arrival at the saleyard until weighing. The variability in times between groups in our study affirms the need fcr water, although its provision appears mere essential at saleyards selling a mixture of local and non-local cattle than those selling only lccal animals. Despite median times off water of abcut 23 h, some local and non-lccal cattle were deprived of water fcr as long as 55 h. For humane reascns alone, the provision cf water is advocated in all selling pens at all saleyards and particular1 y in view of the long periods of high temp eratures in many part s of Australia. Wythes et al. (1980b) showed that an imals can dehydr ate marked ly wh en denied water for long pericds. This survey has shown that cattle can be without feed and water fcr protracted periods before sale weighing with the present curfew fast and there is ccnsiderable variaticn in these times. Our results imply that wide variations in liveweight, dressing percentage and hydration status exist between grcups of similar cattle, and in this regard support the arguments that cattle should have access continucusly to water at saleyards to reduce these effects (Wythes et al. 1980a; Wythes et al. 1981; Wythes unpub. data). The effects cf time of year on the variability of times off feed and water are unknown. In additicn, our results demonstrate the need always to provide animals with water fcr welfare reasons alone. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We wish to thank the cattle cwners, livestock agents, saleyard superintendent and fellow officers who assisted us with the survey. Funds were provided, in part, by the Australian Meat Research Committee. REFERENCES WYTHES, J.R., McLEhiNAN, S.R., and TOLEMAN, M.A. (1980a). Aust. J. Exp. Aqric. Anim. Husb. 20: 517. Aust. J. WYTHES, J.R., SHOREOSE, W.R., SCHMIDT, P.J., and DAVIS, C.B. (1980b). Agric. Res. 31: 849. WYTHES, J.R., TYLER R., DALY, J.J., BURNS, M.A., and LLEWELYN, Do (1981). Aust. J. Exp. Agric. Anim. Husb. 2: 553. 276