Effects of thermostatic apparatus for drinking water and roof-lighting system on improvement of growth rate of beef cattle in winter

In order to improve the welfare of the beef cattle and increase the beef production efficiency during winter in northwest China, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of drinking warm water and roof-lighting system on the beef performance and economic feasibility. Two barns of same structure with roof-lighting bands were used in this study. Beef cattle in treatment cowshed were supplied with 20℃ warm water and solar heating waterer system, and beef cattle in control cowshed was supplied with 4℃ cold water. The results showed that: 1) Beef cattle with supplying of warm water had significant higher daily body-weight gain (1.85 kg/d) than those by drinking cold water (1.63 kg/d) (P＜0.01). 2) Solar radiant heat obtained from the sunlight through roof-lighting band was 463.363 MJ/d in treatment cowshed, and the average solar irradiation intensity of the day in the southern side of the treatment cowshed was lower than the northern side (7 W/m2 vs. 59 W/m2, P＜0.05). The average temperature in the northern side of the cowshed was significantly higher than the southern side from 10:00 am to 15:00 pm (5.60℃ vs. 4.87℃ for treatment cowshed, and 6.04℃ vs. 4.92℃ for control cowshed, respectively, P＜0.05); and there was no significant difference on the average temperature between the southern side of the treatment cowshed and control cowshed, neither the northern side of the two cowsheds. 3) At the same time beefs in the northern side had significantly higher daily body weight gain than that in the southern side (1.84 kg/d vs. 1.64 kg/d, P＜0.01). (4) Using warm water by solar heating and roof-lighting band in beef cattle cowshed can significantly improve the daily body weight gain of beef cattle in winter, as well as achieve higher economic benefit.