Lung Lesions in Feeder Cattle at Slaughter

A Proposed Method for Lesion Recording, and Lesion Effects on Calf Growth and Carcass Traits

Authors

  • Lonty K. Bryant University of Nebraska, Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center, P.O. Box 187, Clay Center, NE 68933
  • Louis J. Perino University of Nebraska, Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center, P.O. Box 187, Clay Center, NE 68933
  • D. Dee Griffin University of Nebraska, Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center, P.O. Box 187, Clay Center, NE 68933
  • Alan R. Doster Veterinary Diagnostic Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0907
  • Catherine E. Dewey Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario Canada N1G 2W1
  • Thomas E. Whittum Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1900 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 48210

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21423/aabppro19965961

Keywords:

clinical pneumonia, performance, pharmaceutical efficacy, vaccine efficacy, management, environment, disease occurrence, lesions

Abstract

Decreased growth in beef calves with clinical pneumonia is reported in veterinary literature. Conversely, several studies found no impact on mean daily gain (MDG) between calves that develop clinical disease and those that do not. Explaining the published discrepancies concerning the effects of pneumonia on growth and performance is necessary to understand its true financial impact. Additional studies are needed to develop methods of detecting clinical or asymptomatic disease. Vaccine and pharmaceutical efficacy studies traditionally have been conducted using mortality and morbidity as the outcomes of interest. These are important parameters, but as pilot studies show,1 asymptomatic disease can be equally significant on calf growth and possibly carcass traits.

Evaluation of animal interaction with management, environment, and disease occurrence plus evaluation of lesions at slaughter should provide new information on disease development and may lead to a better understanding of the respiratory disease process and its cost. Standardized methods of recording and investigating each lesion's significance on calf growth and carcass traits are needed.

Cover image of the 29th Conference Proceedings: A photo of the city skyline of San Diego, California. Yellow background.

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Published

1996-09-12

Issue

1996

Section

Abstracts