GW junior connection
Concerns Regarding Increased Rates of Mortality By Michael Ring
I
t has been mentioned quite often to me that both mortality and veterinary medicine use in feedyards has been increasing at a steady pace in recent history. So, being the statistics nerd that I sometimes am, I dug into some data sets and put together a few examples to try to put this into perspective. In a 2001 paper in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, it was reported that in the period from 1994 to 1999, there was a 38 percent increase in the average death loss in feedyards from 1.03 to 1.42 percent. Another far more in-depth example is found in the summer 2015 issue of the Bovine Practitioners Journal. In a paper by Gary J Vogel, MS, Ph.D., it is concluded that from January 2005 until September 2014, average feedlot mortality rates climbed 27.6 percent in steers (1.34 vs 1.71 percent) and 30.5 percent in heifers (1.41 vs 1.84 percent). These troubling numbers are having a great impact on our industry, to the tune of an estimated $2.35 billion in 2011. This begs the question: With our improved livestock husbandry practices and increased use of technologies, why haven’t we been able to control this growing statistic? Measures to control illness in cattle have also increased dramatically during this time period. According to the
USDA’s NAHMS Feedlot ‘99 study, 10.4 percent of cattle placed in feedyards were administered antimicrobials metaphylactically to prevent Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD). Metaphylaxis is the use of injectable antibiotics administered to the entire group of cattle upon arrival. In comparison, this number was 21.3 percent for cattle placed in feedyards in 2011. That’s more than doubled in the course of 12 years, while the average price per BRD treatment has increased 87.5 percent from $12.59 to $23.60. So, how are we going to keep more cattle alive? Obviously there isn’t any one answer to this question. Perhaps research toward finding genetic markers for cattle with stronger immune systems or better vaccines and immunostimulants could be explored. As cow-calf producers, we can make an extra effort to get our calves off to a good start from a nutritional standpoint as we progress through this spring’s calving season. We all know colostrum is important; but how much does it really affect them long-term? Receiving high quality colostrum and achieving passive transfer of immunity within the first few hours of life is one of the largest factors in prevention of calf morbidity. In a study done by Louis Perino, DVM, calves with low concentrations of serum Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and plasma protein (PP) due to a failure of passive transfer are up to 10 times more likely to face morbidity before weaning. The calves that experience morbidity during the first 28 days of life can be expected wean 35 pounds lighter than those that maintained a normal state of health. This lack of performance continues later in life, as animals with inadequate PP concentrations can be expected to gain 0.09 pounds per day less and are also at a greater risk of feedyard morbidity. This seems pretty significant to me
Sydney Bigger, President (2015) Media, IL • 309-221-6262 biggersydney@gmail.com Michael Ring, Vice President (2014) Oregon, IL • 815-732-7583 skylerm1@frontier.com Mike & Toni Shrewsbury, Adult Advisors Lathrop, MO • 816-528-3644 mshrews@northmo.net
Kyle Vehige, V.P. of Leadership (2014) Bonnots Mill, MO • 573-897-3303 tbars@radiowire.net
Kelsey Sheeley, Ex-Officio Hillsboro, OH • 937-403-3272 kelseysheeley@yahoo.com Callahan Grund (2014) Wallace, KS • 785-891-3765 jcgrund@wbsnet.org Carter Mitchell (2015) Appleton City, MO • 660-492-3966 cartermitchell15@gmail.com
Al & Mary Knapp, Adult Advisors Bonner Springs, KS • 913-724-4105 knappa@swbell.net
Tiana Garcia, Secretary (2015) Las Animas, CO • 719-691-9691 tianam.garcia@outlook.com
Colton Spencer (2015) Aurora, MO • 417-440-0704 coltons08@hotmail.com
Carrie Tilghman Derossett, Junior Activities Coordinator 270-404-0828 • carriet@gelbvieh.org
Tanner Aherin, Treasurer (2014) Phillipsburg, KS • 785-543-3093 daherin@ruraltel.net
Aubree Beenken (2015) Buckingham, IA • 319-239-2969 abeenken@iastate.edu
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