SHORT COMMUNICATION: Field observation: Pen stocking capacities for overnight lairage of finished steers and heifers at a commercial slaughter facility

Abstract

The US Humane Slaughter Act requires that cattle held overnight in the lairage have sufficient space to lie down simultaneously. Cattle arriving at the slaughter plant weigh 12% more than finished cattle from the year 2000. The purpose of this observational study was to determine whether industry guidelines for space in overnight lairage are still adequate. A video camera mounted on an overhead catwalk was used to photograph Bos taurus finished cattle in lairage at a large commercial fed beef slaughter plant. The photos were taken at night to determine the space required for all cattle to lie down simultaneously. When the environment is quiet at night, between 0200 to 0400 h, over 90% of the cattle lie down. The following space requirements for cattle of different weights were identified: a 635.03-kg (1,400-lb) animal requires 2.04 m2 (22.0 ft2), which was not accounted for in previous estimates. Space recommendations in lairage need to be increased.