Zoetis helping protect young cattle from the top feedlot health threats

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) has become the most common health problem in feedlot cattle and poses significant threats during this transition. Picture supplied

Guard your herd and profits against costly 'invisible losses'.

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As the Australian beef industry shifts towards more lot feeding, ensuring young cattle arrive healthy and resilient is essential for optimal productivity and animal welfare.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) has become the most common health problem in feedlot cattle and poses significant threats during the transition.

However, a Zoetis spokesperson said strategic management and the addition of Bovi-Shield MH-One and Rhinogard IBR to the vaccination program allowed producers to "set their young cattle up for success and have them ready to perform on-farm and in a feedlot environment".

WHY RESPIRATORY HEALTH MATTERS

BRD was no longer just a "feedlot disease". It was a threat at every stage of beef production, especially during stressful events such as weaning, transport, commingling and induction into new environments.

Each stress event could compromise immune function, making cattle susceptible to respiratory viruses such as infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and bacteria such as mannheimia haemolytica (MH), with significant costs to the producer.

The spokesperson said BRD could:

• Reduce average daily gain by 10 to 20 per cent
• Reduce feed conversion efficiency
• Lower meat quality (especially marbling)
• Have lifelong impacts on the animal's growth and reproductive potential
• Increase sickness and treatment costs and, in severe cases, cause death.

The disease was often masked until feedlot and abattoir surveillance, but even after cattle had been through feedlots, carcase inspections revealed twice as many cattle with BRD lung lesions as were visibly sick on-farm.

This resulted in invisible losses that could erode profitability and reputation. For young cattle, known for their growth potential, any setback between weaning and feedlot entry could mean massive losses for producers.

STRESS: THE CATALYST FOR DISEASE

The primary trigger for BRD was stress. Events such as weaning, transport, cohort mixing and dietary changes could all compromise immune defences, allowing viruses and bacteria to take hold.

IBR and MH have been identified as the most common agents found in Australian herds - both capable of turning healthy cattle into sick animals in a short period.

THE POWER OF VACCINATION

Rhinogard IBR:

Single-dose intranasal spray: Rapid onset of protective immunity, producing local and systemic protection

Stops IBR at the entry site: Prevents the virus from gaining a foothold in the respiratory tract

No interference from maternal antibodies: Suitable for calves at any age

Convenient, cost-effective: Saves labour by requiring only one muster.

Bovi-Shield MH-One

Single-dose subcutaneous injection: Protection against MH in as little as seven days, lasting at least 17 weeks

Reduces risk of severe pneumonia and pleurisy: Critical for young cattle entering high-risk environments

Convenient, cost-effective: Saves labour by requiring only one muster.

The Zoetis spokesperson said administering both vaccines at or before weaning and feedlot entry offered broad protection at multiple stages of the BRD disease cascade.

"Rhinogard tackles IBR, a key viral threat early, while Bovi-Shield prevents secondary bacterial pneumonia," they said.

"Ensuring calves are correctly vaccinated with a clostridial vaccine (such as 5-in-1 or 7-in-1) ticks the boxes for the Immune Ready program and ensures weaners are not only immune ready but feedlot ready."

SETTING WEANERS UP FOR SUCCESS

Vaccination is only one piece of the puzzle. The following management practices have proven essential in preparing weaner cattle for the feedlot:

1. Optimal weaning

• Wean calves at a weight of at least 130 kilograms; in tough conditions, as light as 100kg is acceptable
• Batch wean if group sizes are more than 100 to maintain stable social groups and minimise stress
• Hold calves in a yard for five to 10 days with feed provided from troughs and hay feeders to accustom calves to a feedlot environment.

2. Nutrition

• Feed a nutrient-dense ration (11.5MJ/kg DM, 16 to 18pc crude protein) and ensure constant access to clean water (minimum 3cm trough space per head)
• Seek nutritional advice to avoid digestive upsets and maximise growth.

3. Parasite control

• Drench weaners with an effective product (such as Dectomax-V) at induction to control worms which can significantly reduce daily gains.

4. Low-stress handling

• Use low-stress stock handling techniques during movement and yarding to minimise physiological stress and accustom cattle to regular handling.

5. Environmental management

• Minimise dust and mud in yards.

6. Record keeping

• Document all vaccinations and complete the National Cattle Health Declaration when cattle are sold as per Immune Ready guidelines.

The spokesperson said producers who vaccinated with Bovi-Shield MH-One and Rhinogard IBR at weaning and before feedlot entry reported:

• Reduced illness and death rates
• Improved average daily gains and feed conversion
• Better meat quality and marbling
• Labour and time savings
• Greater overall profitability without BRD setbacks.

NSW cattle producer Scott McMahon said any setback between weaning and feedlot entry could mean massive losses.

"To prevent meat quality and marbling losses, it's vital to get on top of BRD early with the one-time program of Rhinogard IBR and Bovi-Shield MH-One," Mr McMahon said.

PREVENTION AS INVESTMENT

Healthy weaner cattle were not just a product of good genetics; they were the result of proactive management and vaccination.

"By implementing yard weaning combined with robust nutritional and parasite control, and a targeted vaccination protocol including Bovi-Shield MH-One and Rhinogard IBR, producers can ensure their weaners are resilient, productive and ready to thrive in lot feeding systems," the Zoetis spokesperson said.

"The message is clear: prevention is easier, more effective and more profitable than treatment.

"Protect your young cattle before they enter the feedlot and your cattle, your business, and your bottom line will thank you."

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