Perspectives of the history and development of metaphylactic treatment with antibiotics and how I implement today

Abstract

Of all the diseases and health problems that newly arrived cattle in a feedyard face, by far the bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex is the most common and most costly. There are many approaches to preventing and treating respiratory disease in new cattle, including vaccines, feed additives, feeding programs, and low-stress handling. Many of the new cattle have been stressed by weaning, hauling long distances, commingling, and stressful handling. Thus, in these cattle there may be a need for antibiotic therapy on arrival or soon after arrival, a practice called metaphylactic treatment with antibiotics.