31 Jan 2022
Research carried out by animal health firm Ceva finds missed opportunities to identify, manage and treat disease that costs cattle industry £80 million a year.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Image © Ceva UK
Research carried out by Ceva Animal Health has highlighted the fact that disease identification, management and treatment for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) could be improved.
The disease costs the UK cattle sector an estimated £80 million per year1, but while farmers questioned in the research2 believed they were quick to identify, diagnose and treat an animal with BRD, it can be difficult to detect using only visual clinical signs and without handling – for instance, taking a temperature.
Pyrexia, or a temperature of 39.4°C, is often a first sign of disease that occurs 12 to 72 hours3,4 before more visual clinical signs appear.
Nasal discharge is often the first visual sign, but only a quarter of farmers questioned took the temperature of an apparently sick animal before medicating.
Many were uncertain about causal pathogens for BRD, but did identify external factors, such as weather changes, poorly designed or ventilated buildings and management tasks that caused animal stress.
Two-thirds said they had a written protocol for BRD. Meanwhile, 69% of vets recommend infected animals are isolated during herd health plan reviews5.
Kythé Mackenzie, ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health, said: “BRD remains a significant health and welfare issue for the UK cattle in both the dairy and beef sectors with the associated decrease in longevity and productivity.
“It is important vets and farmers work together to put prevention and management protocols in place. When treatment is necessary, the inclusion of a NSAID has recognised benefits, – especially in the reduction of pyrexia and pain.”
Ceva has launched a “Breathe and feel better” marketing campaign for vets and farmers to help identify, manage and treat BRD, and promote best practice to vets and farmers.
Further information is available on the Calves Breathe Easy website or from a Ceva territory manager.
1. Barrett DC (2000). Cost-effective antimicrobial drug selection for the management and control of respiratory disease in European cattle, Veterinary Record 146(19): 545-550.
2. Sixteen 40-minute telephone interviews with cattle farmers, Mo Gannon Associates, April 2021.
3. Timsit E et al (2011) Early detection of bovine respiratory disease in young bulls using reticulo-rumen temperature boluses, Veterinary Journal 190(1): 136-142.
4. Timsit E et al (2011) Visually undetected fever episodes in newly received beef bulls at a fattening operation: occurrence, duration, and impact on performance, Journal of Animal Science 89(12): 4,272-4,280.
5. Eighty 10-minute online interviews with vets who spend at least 50% of their professional time treating cattle, Mo Gannon Associates, July 2021.
