Characterization of Fed Cattle Mobility during the COVID-19 Pandemic

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Cattle mobility is an important animal welfare outcome measured by beef producers and meat processors. Factors that negatively impact fed cattle mobility include high environmental temperatures, heavy body weights, handling practices during loading and unloading, and longer transport times. As the United States cattle industry recovered from closures and/or reduced capacity at slaughter plants that occurred as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was concern that cattle mobility challenges would intensify due to the increased prevalence of some of the previously identified risk factors, particularly as summer months approached. The aim of this study was to characterize cattle mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery period at a slaughter facility located in the Central Plains United States. Although mobility challenges increased at the study facility from July through October 2020 as compared with historical benchmarking databases, the prevalence of cattle with significant impairment did not increase and remained low. Mobility scores were impacted by average weight, temperature humidity index, distance hauled, sex, and days on feed. Although mobility challenges increased during this time period, collaborative efforts across the supply chain were effective at managing mobility conditions important to cattle welfare during the marketing and slaughter process. ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic had significant consequences on cattle slaughter capacity in the United States. Although industry stakeholders implemented strategies to minimize cattle welfare impacts of increased weights, days on feed (DOF), and increasing temperatures, there were concerns that mobility challenges would be observed at slaughter facilities. The objectives of this study were to characterize mobility in fed cattle during this recovery period and to identify factors impacting mobility. A total of 158 groups of cattle (15,388 animals) from one slaughter facility were included in the study. A 4-point mobility scoring system was used to assess cattle mobility. Cattle at the facility with normal mobility scores were reduced from the historical average of 96.19% to 74.55%. No increase in highly elevated mobility scores was observed. Mobility was impacted by weight, temperature humidity index (THI), distance hauled, sex, and DOF, with results differing by mobility category. Weather was a key contributor to mobility challenges; the relative risk of observing an elevated mobility score was 45.76% greater when the THI changed from No Stress to Mild Stress. Despite the challenges that the industry faced during this period, efforts to minimize negative effects on cattle welfare by enhanced focus on low-stress handling were effective.