A strong vaccine protocol and good husbandry are pivotal to raising healthy cattle. But every producer knows that bovine respiratory disease (BRD), the leading cause of loss in U.S. cattle operations,¹ will still find a way to creep into the herd. While treating BRD with an antibiotic may seem like an easy next step when an animal is found sick, thoughtful treatment and good stewardship are more important than ever.

“Antibiotics are a safe and effective tool for disease treatment, and can have a very positive impact on animal welfare,” said Nathan Meyer, PhD, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim. “But we’re not seeing new classes of antibiotics coming to market anytime soon, so it’s crucial we preserve the effectiveness of the products we have available today.”

Dr. Meyer provides tips for antibiotic stewardship on cattle operations, and shares that product choice, adherence to label guidelines, and working with a herd veterinarian for tailored protocols are all significant factors.

Choosing the right antibiotic matters

As the pioneer antibiotic products have gone off-patent, generics have flooded the market. The range of product choices is greater than ever before.

“The concern with generics is that we may change our protocol and use antibiotics more frequently, based on lower generic prices,” Meyer warned. “No matter what product we use, it’s important that we are treating thoughtfully and keeping good records to ensure we get the treatment results we expect.”

Meyer explained that not all antibiotics are built the same. Choosing the right product is a necessary step in treatment success, and can lower the risk of re-treatment or overtreatment.

“With the number of antibiotics available, we have to make sure we consider all the attributes of products to make the right choice,” said Meyer. “Oftentimes, we just focus on which drug’s going to have the best efficacy, which is important, but other attributes should play a role, as well.”

Broad pathogen coverage, speed of action and length of therapy are all factors to consider in a BRD treatment. “To optimize treatment success, look for a fast-acting, broad-spectrum antibiotic that provides coverage against the four main BRD-causing pathogens: Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis,” stressed Meyer. “A treatment that reaches the lungs quickly will minimize long-term lung damage.”

Veterinary guidance and the four pillars of judicious antibiotic use

“Veterinarians are fundamental when it comes to antibiotic stewardship,” said Meyer. “Not only can they provide guidance, but they can also help tailor protocols to your operation to improve overall success.”

There are four different pillars that can help maintain judicious antibiotic use. Meyer believes a herd veterinarian has a part to play in each:

1 . Prevention

“Prevention is the foundation of judicious antibiotic use and BRD management,” Meyer stated. “We want to make sure that we are exploring all options to minimize disease from the beginning, because pending the disease detected, our ability to treat can be limited.”

Your local veterinarian can help guide the discussion and provide insight into which vaccine fits your operation best. Good husbandry, parasite management and a sound plane of nutrition are also important disease management factors to discuss with your veterinarian and nutritionist.

2 . Early detection and diagnostics

“Antibiotics are one of the best tools we have for treating disease, but they are not perfect,” shared Meyer. “We need to have realistic expectations, and remember that timing of treatment has a large impact on treatment success. The earlier we can detect disease and properly treat the animal, the more likely we are going to have a positive outcome.”

Training employees to have an eye for diagnosing sick cattle is a big part of preventing long-term damage associated with BRD and increasing treatment success. Your veterinarian can help provide tools and techniques for diagnosing animals early.

“Part two of diagnosis is taking samples and performing necropsies when necessary to pinpoint exactly which pathogen an operation is fighting,” said Meyer. “This allows veterinarians and producers to choose the most effective antibiotic and encourages antibiotic stewardship.”

3 . Treatment

When applying antibiotic therapy, it’s vital to follow the product label, and adhere to correct dosage, administration route and duration of treatment. Misuse or product overuse can contribute to ineffective treatment and resistance concerns. The post-treatment interval, or PTI, is another factor to keep in mind.

“The post-treatment interval is the time from when we give the first antibiotic to when the animal is eligible for another dose, if needed,” explained Meyer. “It gives the drug a set time to properly work and respond, before we assume it did or did not work, which can help prevent overtreatment.”

Not all antibiotics have the same PTI. Be sure to communicate this interval with your veterinarian for the drug being used.

4 . Follow-up

A basic set of records that track the animal, health problem, treatment day and product can help determine whether a treatment protocol is working. Reviewing records with a veterinarian will evaluate whether a different antibiotic needs to be chosen, or if more attention needs to be paid to earlier diagnosis and treatment.

“This is when we can look back at individual cases, and make sure animals were diagnosed and treated appropriately and that we got the results that we wanted,” said Meyer.

“It makes me very proud to see how well we have managed this topic as an industry, because we know how important antibiotic stewardship is to our consumers,” concluded Dr. Meyer. “Antibiotics are available for us to better animal welfare for the long term. I think our industry is sitting in a good spot, but we can’t lose focus on maintaining good stewardship.”

Reference:

¹ Taylor JD, Fulton RW, Lehenbauer TW, et al. The epidemiology of bovine respiratory disease: What is the evidence for predisposing factors? Can Vet J 2010;51(10):1095–1102.

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