Increasing mud levels in a feedlot influences beef cattle behaviours but not preference for feedlot or pasture environments

Public scrutiny surrounds the intensive feedlot finishing of beef cattle, likely due to the assumption that cattle cannot perform their full repertoire of natural behaviours. However, it is not well-known how certain aspects of the environment influence both cattle perception of a feedlot environment and the behaviours they perform within it, particularly with increasing levels of mud. The objective of this study was to perform a Y-maze test to assess the preference of Angus steers for either a pasture environment or a feedlot at three pad scores, which were based on increasing mud depth relative to the cattle's hoof and leg. Cattle were tested both morning and afternoon for ten consecutive days, with lying behaviours and number of steps measured using IceQube® accelerometers. Here we show that day affected cattle's preference for pasture versus feedlot environments, with choice alternating between consecutive days (P < 0.001), and cattle also exhibited a preference for pasture at night (P = 0.04). Although the paddock environment was preferred at all pad scores, increasing mud level did not significantly influence the preference of cattle for either environment (P = 0.39), and it is likely that both environments contained rewarding stimuli. There was a significant interaction between pad score and location for lying behaviours and number of steps taken (all P < 0.001), with the highest pad score being associated with reductions in these behaviours within the feedlot. Evidence of a rebound effect for lying behaviours in the paddock for this pad score indicates that high levels of mud may negatively impact welfare when no alternative space to lie is provided.