Causes of death of beef cattle raised in feedlots

Abstract

The causes of death of cattle kept in pre-export feedlots (PEFs) and in feedlot for finishing for slaughter are described. Two studies were conducted: a retrospective study of mortality cases in feedlots from 2000 to 2017 registered at the “Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico” of the “Faculdade de Veterinária” of the “Universidade Federal de Pelotas”; and a prospective study from January 2018 to August 2019, following up 22 feedlots for finishing and six PEFs for the export of live cattle. From January 2000 to August 2019 samples of 150 cases of diseases that affected feedlot cattle were received from 22 feedlots for finishing and 115 of the six PEFs followed. Mortality considering all diagnosed diseases was significantly higher in feedlots for finishing (p<0.05), than in PEFs for the export of live cattle, of 1% and 0.12%, respectively. Diseases of the digestive system were the most important causes, of death in feedlots regardless of its purpose. Acidosis presented the highest mortality rates both in feedlot for finishing (3.33%) as in PEFs for export (0.95%). In all cases the disease occurred due to failure in the adaptation of animals to the ingestion of concentrated foods. Bovine tick fever and pneumonia presented mortality rates of 0.13% and 0.09%, respectively in PEFs. In the feedlot for finishing seneciosis was the second cause of death due to cattle coming from areas with high infestation by the plant. In the present study, it was possible to identify the main diseases that occur in cattle feedlots for finishing or for the export of live animals in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul. These diseases are known in other systems of cattle breeding and can be prevented or controlled through management, chemoprophylaxis or vaccination, minimizing losses due to mortality.

Causes of death in feedlot beef cattle and their control: a brief review

“…In one study the Midwest region of Brazil (Malafaia et al 2016), 45% of the diagnoses of diseases in feedlot cattle were BRD, and in one feedlot in the Southeast (Baptista et al 2017), 87% of the total diagnoses were pneumonia and mortality from this disease was 20%. In the Southern region of RS, over 20 years, BRD represented 11% of all illnesses that causing death in cattle from several different feedlot systems (Estima-Silva et al 2020).…”

“…In the South of Rio Grande do Sul, digestive diseases represented 57.3% among all diseases that caused the death of cattle in different feedlot systems over 20 years. Of those deaths, 52.2% resulted from acidosis and 45.8% from bloat (Estima- Silva et al 2020).…”

“…Score 3 represents the balance in the composition of the diet (Adapted from Vigne et al 2007). In many cases, despite the use of roughage associated with the concentrate, digestive disorders are still a significant cause of death in feedlots operations in RS (Estima-Silva et al 2020).in feedlots operations in RS (Estima-Silva et al 2020). The strategy to decrease the morbidity rates of bloat in feedlot operations includes, besides the association of concentrate with roughage, the choice of the cereal to be fed.…”

“…Cattle were raised grazing on native or cultivated pastures or rice or soybean crop leftovers. However, in recent years, the number of feedlots with different purposes has increased in the region (Estima-Silva et al 2020).…”

“…In Minas Gerais, the morbidity of 7.76% and mortality of 1.5% were observed (Martins 2016). In the southern region of RS, mortality rates of 0.11% and 1.33% were found in feedlots for the export of live animals and for finishing cattle, respectively (Estima- Silva et al 2020).…”