Bovine Respiratory Disease Preventive practices handbook
The preventative practice guide provides lot feeders with cutting edge science-based industry best practice for BRD management - the most significant animal health issue facing lot feeding in Australia.
| Publication date: | 13 April 2022 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle |
| Relevant regions: | National |
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Download Report
(5.2 MB)
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Summary
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) has been identified as the most significant infectious disease of feedlot cattle in eastern Australia. BRD causes economic loss due to medication costs, mortalities, excessive feed inputs associated with increased time on feed, reduced sale prices and associated labour costs.
The BRD preventative practice guide ‘Evaluation of practices used to reduce the incidence of bovine respiratory disease in Australian feedlots’ was produced in 2016. This project will update the guide to include new developments in peer reviewed literature and industry best practice that have emerged since 2016 including related environmental, animal and management factors that affect BRD in lot fed cattle.
Objectives
The aim of this project is to update the BRD preventative practice guide ‘Evaluation of practices used to reduce the incidence of bovine respiratory disease in Australian feedlots’ to reflect the most up to date practices for the prevention of BRD in feedlot cattle.
Key findings
The purpose of this document is to summarise the evidence supporting the practices currently utilised by the Australian feedlot sector to reduce the incidence of BRD. The current practices are classified as either animal preparation practices or feedlot management practices. Under these headings the evidence supporting each practice has been categorised.
Benefits to industry
The updated ‘Evaluation of practices used to reduce the incidence of bovine respiratory disease in Australian feedlots’ guide renamed to "Bovine Respiratory Disease Preventive practices handbook" will provide lot feeders with the latest information on management techniques and practices to minimise the impact of BRD.
MLA action
The MLA feedlot program will continue to invest significantly in new and novel preventive control measures for BRD
Future research
Regular updates will continue as there are still many preventive practices that require further research and evaluation.
