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Antimicrobial resistance in beef cattle
Project Overview
Antimicrobial resistance in beef cattle
The use of antimicrobials in cattle feedlots is pervasive and has been linked to the development of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Preconditioned calves – a practice that involves strict vaccination, nutrition and management strategies before sale to a feedlot – have better immunity and are healthier, reducing the need for antimicrobials. This project seeks to quantify the potential benefits of preconditioning.
Beef producers in the US used an estimated 2,500 metric tons of antimicrobials in 2020. The use of antimicrobials in cattle feedlots is pervasive and has been linked to the development of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, with implications for livestock and human health. Some cattle producers have sought to address this problem by preconditioning calves – a practice that occurs after calves are weaned and involves strict vaccination, nutrition and management strategies for 45 days before sale to a feedlot. Preconditioned calves have better immune function to cope with the initial stress of moving, sale, and introduction to a feedlot: they have lower incidence of Bovine Respiratory Disease, are less susceptible to severe infections, require fewer antibiotics, experience less stress during shipping and receiving and have lower mortality. In spite of these benefits, preconditioning is not a universally adopted practice.
This project seeks to quantify the potential benefits of preconditioning, and to assess whether cattle auction buyers value preconditioning. We modeled costs and returns for feedlot operators purchasing preconditioned versus non-preconditioned cattle. We also observed bids in a cattle auction market, comparing market choices among frequent buyers and non-frequent buyers.
The Impacts
Modeling costs and returns, we estimate that preconditioned calves generate net returns of $48.15 per head above the return from non-preconditioned animals. However, in order for markets to appropriately value preconditioning, all information related to potential benefits of preconditioning and the health status of incoming animals to the feedlot should be available to all market participants. To incentivize producers to precondition post-weaned cattle, the price premium received by producers should compensate for the additional costs and risks associated with preconditioning. Observing bids in a cattle auction market, we found that preconditioned cattle sold for 3.9% more than non-preconditioned cattle. Interestingly, benefits were perceived differently among buyers: frequent buyers paid 2 percent more than non-frequent buyers for preconditioned cattle, suggesting that frequent buyers understand and observe the benefits of preconditioned cattle.
If preconditioning of cattle becomes an industry norm, the use of antimicrobials in animal production will be reduced. That may stem the development of bacteria resistant to antimicrobials, increasing the value of antimicrobial use in the treatment of human diseases.
Principal Investigator
Project Details
- Funding Source: Hatch Multistate
- Statement Year: 2022
- Status: Completed Project
- Topics: Beef cattle, antimicrobials, animal health, economic vitality