PRECISION diagnostics - the likes of which are being used in human health for managing disease outbreaks including COVID clusters - are being applied to bovine respiratory disease in feedlot cattle via innovative collaborative research.
Both reducing antibiotic use and boosting productivity are the aims of the research, which hones in on understanding pathogen profiles across the lifespan of cattle.
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Associate Professor Jane Quinn, from the School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Science at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, gave an update on the research at the recent Graham Centre Livestock Forum, held virtually.
"We have been looking at what is happening at an individual animal level to provide better diagnostic prediction models and allow feedlot managers to look at disease from a prevention rather than reactionary perspective," she said.
"The disease we have focussed on is BRD, which is one of the largest economic costs to the intensive feeding industry and also affects dairy producers in terms of calf losses and grass-fed animals in terms of their backgrounding.
"Although a lot of work has been undertaken on this disease in cattle, the complexity is driven by a number of factors including genetics, maturity of the animal, whether it has been exposed to pathogens, whether it has had any pre-vaccinations as well as in-feedlot management."
Dr Quinn said there was a very strong imperative, both nationally and globally, to reduce the use of antibiotics in intensive livestock production.
"But to be able to do that we need to know exactly what the pathogens are that are causing the majority of disease presentation so that we can manage it with the tools we have," she said.
The research is aiming to develop a predictive tool that can be used on an individual animal basis, can be applied in real time, on-farm and in a cost-effective manner.
In other words - bringing laboratory level monitoring to the commercial operation to investigate the disease risk profile across ten different pathogens.
The work has identified that Mycoplasma bovis is potentially a major contributor to BRD in feedlot cattle, and that the microorganism in combination with other commensal and infectious pathogens, is contributing to disease risk post feedlot entry.
It also indicates the profile of problem pathogens is not the same from one location to another.
The work was also providing insight about key pathogens the industry may need to look for vaccination solutions for in the future, Dr Quinn said.
The research is a collaboration between Charles Sturt University, the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute and Australian Livestock Production Services and is funded by Meat and Livestock Australia.
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Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
