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Keywords

cattle disease, bovine respiratory disease (BRD), FerAppease

Abstract

Stocker cattle purchased at auction can be susceptible to disease due to the stressors associated with the auction process and are referred to as “high-risk.” The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a maternal bovine appeasing substance, FerAppease®, on the growth performance, health, and behavior of stocker cattle. Male beef calves (n = 80) were purchased at auction and transported to the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Savoy Research Complex Beef Stocker Unit. On day 0, bulls were castrated, and steers and bulls were assigned to 8 pens (n = 10 calves/pen; 6 bulls and 4 steers/pen). Cattle in 4 pens were treated with FerAppease (F) (n = 40), and cattle in the other 4 pens were not treated and served as controls (C, n = 40). Cattle were monitored daily for clinical signs of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Body weight was recorded, and average daily gain was calculated. Chute exit velocity was measured with an electric timing system. Hair-extracted cortisol and blood serum haptoglobin were also measured. There was minimal treatment effect (P > 0.05) on any of the measures collected. However, more C bulls at arrival had been treated for BRD by the end of the trial (63%) compared to other groups (41% F bulls, 6% C steers, and 30% F steers; sex × treatment P = 0.05). Overall, the results from this study indicate that there could have been some effect of the treatment through a reduction in morbidity.

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