Beef 6-Health issues Flashcards
Arrival processing at feedlot
Processing is a priority. Time consuming!
-first chance to affect cattle’s health= vaccinations
General considerations at processing
-handle cattle calmly
*animal welfare standards… falling animals
-avoid injuries to cattle and crew
-restrain animals in chute
-producing food not cattle= quality assurance
Processing timing
Ideally 12-24hrs after arrival
-remember some calves would have left home several days ago
-delay= disease wrecks
-processing protocols will have different risk classes
*calves and yearlings have different disease risks
Time to fill a pen
Slower fill= greater risk
Components of processing protocol
-ID
-vaccinations
-early treatment/prevention of BRD= metaphylaxis
-parasite control
-implanting
-castration/dehorning
-quality assurance (injection sites, change needles, withdrawal times)
3 major categories of health issues
- BRD - mostly occurs early in feeding period
- Lameness- occurs through feeding period dependent on cause
- Nutritional-related diseases (bloat, acidosis)- mostly occurs later in feed period
Bovine Respiratory disease
Cattle grouped into risk categories based on risk factors :
-weaning
-age/weight
-mixing (auction market vs from ranch)
-transport
-weather
-gender
-vaccine history
-previous exposure to bunks and feed
-castration, pregnancy, size of feedlot pen, length of time to fill pen
Fatality of BRD
Depends on risk factors
-morbidity peaks within first 7-10 days for auction market calves
-morbidity 35-50%, fatality 5-10%
-most calves arrive already incubating the disease
High risk animals and cost
Purchased at a lower price resulting in a more profitable return on investment
**highest potential rate of return is often associated with high risk BRD calves
Seasonal industry
Weaned calves mostly sold Oct-Nov
-many trailers arrive at one time
-large % of high risk calves
-staff often find it hard to processing within 24 hrs
-hard to differentiate between sick calves and homesick calves
Mixing at feedlots
50,000 cow-calf farms being put into 250 feedlots
Risk of selling calves right at weaning
Major risk of BRD
-lack of facilities for keeping calves after weaning
cow-calf producers may be uncomfortable with risk of weaned calves
Witness protection program
-many calves involved
*feedlot owners don’t know history, vaccinations
*calves may be incubating the disease and become sick a few days after arrival
BRD management solutions
- vaccine at arrival
2.prevaccination - preconditioning
- metaphylaxis
Vaccination before arrival
-reduces disease but not ideal because disease peaks within first 7-10 days
-results in administering vaccines to stressed, mixed calves
Prevaccination
-reduces disease but does not mitigate other risk factors
*there are specific sales for pre vaccinated calves
*cow-calf producers SHOULD be paid more for these calves
Pre conditioning
-weaned for min 45 days before sale and shipment
-accustomed from eating from feedbunk
-vaccinated, castrated, dehorned before weaning
-treated for parasites 3 weeks before sale
**cow-calf producers should benefit from increased sale weight and price
Challenges with preconditioning
-low numbers of pre conditiioned calves available
-price premiums not always enough for cow-calf producers
-purchase price vs. BRD risk dilemma
MEtaphylaxis
Give injectable long lasting antimicrobial to control BRD at arrival
**good for incubators of disease
50% reduction in treatments and drop in mortality
Concerned with antimicrobial resistance emerging
Long acting drugs for metaphylaxis
Macrolides:
-tulathromycin (Draxxin)
-Gamithromycin (Zactran)
-Tildipirosin (Zuprevo)
-Tilmicosin (Micotil)
Oxyteetracycline
