Feedlot health and performance effects associated with the timing of respiratory disease treatment

Generalized linear mixed models were developed using retrospective feedlot data collected on individually treated cattle (n = 31,131) to determine whether cattle performance and health outcomes in feedlot cattle were associated with timing of treatment for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) during the feeding phase. Cattle that died at any point during the feeding phase were removed from the analysis. Information on individual animal performance (ADG, HCW, quality grade, yield grade) and health outcomes (treatments) were incorporated into an economic model that generated a standardized net return estimate for each animal. Prices were standardized to minimize variation between economic outcomes due to market conditions allowing direct comparisons of health and performance effects between animals. While controlling for sex, risk code, and arrival BW class, potential associations between net returns and the timing of BRD identification were investigated using 2 categorical variables created to measure time: 1) weeks on feed at initial BRD treatment, and 2) weeks from BRD treatment to slaughter. The first model using net return as the outcome identified an interaction between weeks on feed at initial BRD treatment and animal arrival BW. Cattle with arrival BW between 227 and 272 kg (5WT) and 273 and 318 kg (6WT) displayed decreased net returns (P < 0.05) if treated during wk 1 as compared with subsequent weeks in the first month of the feeding phase. The cattle with BW between 319 and 363 kg (7WT) and 364 and 408 kg (8WT) exhibited decreased net returns (P < 0.05) if treated during the later weeks of the feeding phase compared with earlier in the feeding phase. The number of times cattle were treated contributed to variation in net returns for the 5WT and 6WT cattle. For the 7WT and 8WT cattle, HCW was the main factor contributing to decreased net returns when cattle were treated late in the feeding phase. The second model identified an interaction between weeks from BRD treatment to slaughter and arrival BW. The 181 to 226 kg of BW, 5WT, 6WT, 7WT, and 8WT cattle all exhibited decreased net returns (P < 0.05) when cattle were on feed fewer weeks from BRD treatment to slaughter. Cattle with more weeks on feed between BRD treatment and slaughter had greater HCW, decreased ADG, and more total treatments compared with cattle treated closer to slaughter. This research indicates that timing of initial BRD treatment is associated with performance and health outcomes.