Treatment of Respiratory Disease in U.S. Feedlots
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October 2001 Treatment of Respiratory Early administration of an effective antimicrobial at the Disease in U.S. Feedlots appropriate dose is beneficial for the successful treatment of BRD-affected animals. When an outbreak Bovine respiratory disease complex (BRD), also known of BRD is anticipated or present in a group of cattle, as shipping fever or bronchopneumonia, is the leading metaphylaxis (mass treatment) of the high-risk group cause of illness and death in U.S. feedlots. with an antimicrobial can decrease BRD morbidity. Recent research indicates that animals with evidence of In the fall of 1999, the USDA’s National Animal Health lung disease visible at harvest had lower average daily Monitoring System (NAHMS) conducted a study of feedlots with a 1,000-head-or-more capacity within the weight gains while they were in feedlots than those 2 animals that did not have visible lung damage.1 12 top cattle feeding states. It is generally accepted that BRD results from an These feedlots represented 84.9 percent of U.S. feedlots interaction of stress, immunity, and infectious in 1999 with 1,000-head-or-more capacity and pathogens. Ultimately, bacteria (usually Mannhiemia contained 96.1 percent of the U.S. feedlot cattle hemolytica or Pasteurella multocida) invade the lower inventory on January 1, 2000, on feedlots with a respiratory system leading to bronchopneumonia, which 1,000-head-or-more capacity. manifests clinically as BRD. Figure 1. Percent of Placements Affected with the Following Conditions* 20.0 15.5 15.0 14.4 ents affected 10.0 m 8.7 5.0 2.9 3.1 3.1 2.0 1.9 2.3 2.2 2.0 1.9 1.1 1.4 1.3 Percent of place 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.0 BRD Digestive disorders Lameness AIP Buller steer syndrome CNS 1,000-7,999 Head 8,000 head & more All feedlots BRD = bovine respiratory AIP = acute interstitial CNS = central nervous disease complex pneumonia system disease *Estimates include animals that were treated, died without treatment, or were shipped prior to harvest weight without treatment. 1 Wittum et.al., J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc., 209(4):814-8:1996; Gardner, et al., J. Anim.Sci., 77:3168-75:2000. 2 Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington. Table 1. Percent of Feedlots by Product Typically Used to Treat Cattle for an Initial Course of BRD, by Feedlot Capacity. Feedlot Capacity (Number of Head) Theraputic Product 1,000-7,999 8,000 or more All Feedlots Injectable antibiotic 99.8 100.0 99.8 Oral antibiotic 31.1 16.5 27.0 Vitamin C injection 6.1 16 8.9 Vitamin B injection 31.8 30.3 31.4 Respiratory vaccine 31.5 64.1 40.6 Corticosteroid 20.4 27.1 22.3 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug 37.7 47.6 40.5 (NSAID) Antihistamine 31.6 37.5 33.3 Anthelmintic (dewormer) 8.7 7.1 8.3 Probiotic paste 31.9 23.1 29.5 Oral electrolytes, fluids, drenches 20.2 33.4 23.9 Other product 1.3 1.8 1.5 Nearly all (99.8 percent) feedlots included an injectable Feedlots were grouped into two size categories based on antibiotic as part of the therapeutic regimen for BRD animal capacity (1,000 to 8,000 head and (Table 1). The most common antimicrobials used by 8,000 head or more). Data were weighted to be feedlots for the initial treatment of respiratory disease representative of the feedlot industry in the 12 were tilmicosin, florfenicol, and tetracyclines. participating states. The antimicrobials selected commonly differed between Almost all (97.6 percent) of feedlots had at least one large and small feedlots (Figure 2). Large feedlots were animal develop BRD during the year ending June 30, more likely to choose tilmicosin and fluoroquinolones 1999. Overall, producers reported 14.4 percent of all and less likely than small feedlots to use tetracyclines. placements developed BRD while at feedlots, nearly five times the percentage of placements as the next most commonly reported disease, acute interstitial pneumonia Table 1. shows other pharmaceuticals and supportive (Figure 1). therapies (product types) used by many large and small feedlots as an initial course of treatment for BRD. The percentage of placements that developed BRD was higher on feedlots with 8,000-head-or-more capacity More than 25 percent of large feedlots also used a than on smaller capacity feedlots. respiratory vaccine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), an antihistamine, oral electrolyte fluids or drenches, or a corticosteroid. Figure 2. Percent of Feedlots by the Primary Antimicrobial Roughly one-third of small feedlots Used* as Part of an Initial Treatment for BRD used an NSAID, probiotic paste, and by Feedlot Capacity 70.0 vitamin B injection, an antihistamine, a respiratory vaccine, 60.0 or an oral antimicrobial in addition 50.0 to an injectable antimicrobial. 42.4 40.0 The number of product types 31.1 30.0 typically used for the initial 26.7 24.8 23.8 treatment of respiratory disease 21.9 21.6 20.0 16.9 16.3 Percent of feedlots varied broadly. The use of two 13.5 10.6 product types for the initial 10.0 8.8 8.4 6.0 6.8 4.9 5.5 2.8 treatment of disease was most 2.1 1.8 1.3 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 common among the feedlots overall, Tilmicosin Tetracyclines Penicillins/amoxicil Fluoroquinolones Florfenicol Cephalosporins Macrolides* Other (22.2 percent, Figure 3). 1,000-7,999 head 8,000 head & more All Feedlots *Macrolides exclude tilmicosin Figure 3. No single combination of four or more Percent of Feedlots by Number of Product Types Used as Part of an Initial product types was used by more than Treatment Regimen for BRD, 10 percent of the feedlots that used by Feedlot Capacity five product types. The most common 50.0 was an injectable antimicrobial used with a corticosteroid, non-steroidal 40.0 anti-inflammatory drug, an 30.0 antihistamine, and a probiotic paste 24.9 23.9 22.2 19.4 20.7 (8.3 percent of feedlots that typically 20.0 19.3 15.2 13.2 13.1 12.8 12.3 13.0 used five product types to treat 11.4 11.6 11.5 10.1 9.7 8.2 10.0 6.8 7.6 7.0 Percent of feedlots respiratory disease). 2.8 1.4 1.6 1.4 1.5 1.8 0.0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Estimates of the typical cost incurred Number of product types used in initial treatment 1,000-7,999 head 8,000 head & more All feedlots to treat one animal include costs such as pharmaceuticals, syringes, and Approximately 56 percent of feedlots used three or needles, but do not include labor charges, veterinary fewer product types, and 80.4 percent of feedlots used fees, or indirect costs (Figure 4). five or fewer product types. Approximately 13 percent used only one product type. For those feedlots that used the most common combinations of two product types, reported costs to For those feedlots that typically included two product treat one animal were $8.80 (oral and injectable types in the initial treatment regimen of respiratory antimicrobials); $12.36 (vaccine and injectable disease, the most common combinations included an antimicrobial); $11.73 (NSAID and injectable injectable antimicrobial used with: an oral antimicrobial antimicrobial); and $11.64 (probiotic paste and (29.0 percent of feedlots that used two product types), a injectable antimicrobial). respiratory vaccine (presumably against IBR; 20.8 percent), a NSAID (13.6 percent), and a probiotic paste Care should be taken when interpreting these results, as (10.2 percent). there is a wide variation in cost both Figure 4. within and between product types. Cost in Dollars to Treat One Sick Animal For example, feedlots using a for the Following Conditions respiratory vaccine may have chosen 20.00 a more expensive injectable antibiotic than those administering an oral 16.26 16.49 antimicrobial. 15.00 13.33 12.59 11.87 11.61 11.09 11.29 11.50 The cost incurred as part of the 10.00 9.24 treatment for BRD was greater for 7.68 7.03 6.14 6.27 6.19 large feedlots than small feedlots, 5.00 regardless of the number of product 1.55 0.86 1.10 types included in the regimen (Figure Cost (in dollars) to treat one sick animal 0.00 5). BRD Digestive disorders Lameness AIP Buller steer syndrome CNS 1,000-7,999 head 8,000 head & more All feedlots Almost all feedlots used an injectable BRD = Bovine respiratory disease CNS = Central nervous system disease antimicrobial when treating BRD. Most feedlots included at least two other product types in their BRD-treatment regimen. For those feedlots that typically included three product types in the initial treatment regimen of respiratory While the cost to treat an animal with BRD increased as disease, the most common combinations used included the number of product types used increased, the an injectable antimicrobial used with: a respiratory economic advantages or disadvantages of increasing the vaccine and an anthelmintic (14.8 percent of feedlots number of product types for the treatment of BRD that used three compounds), and an oral antimicrobial cannot be evaluated because treatment success, case and a probiotic paste (11.9 percent). fatality rate, and chronicity data were not collected. Therefore, it is unclear if administering pharmaceuticals and supportive therapies in addition to an injectable antimicrobial for BRD is advantageous.