Effects of Direct-fed Microbials and Vaccine Route of Administration on Health and Performance of Newly-arrived Calves to Feedlots

Abstract

Management of newly-arrived beef calves into feedlots is of utmost importance to the long-term health and profitability of those animals. Two separate studies conducted individually examined the efficacy of particular commercially available products in the beef industry and collectively evaluated the viability of those products in commercial application. In the presented data, the use of direct-fed microbials (DFM) (Bovamine Defend�; Nutrition Physiology Co.; Guymon, OK) in recently-weaned, newly-received beef calves to feedlots did not improve average daily gain (P = 0.98), dry matter intake (P = 0.33), morbidity (P = 0.33), or mortality (P = 0.34).In the second study, the efficacy of three different, commercially available multivalent modified-live viral respiratory vaccines was evaluated. No differences in final body weight, average daily gain, dry matter intake, or Gain:Feed were observed during the duration of the experiment. Calves receiving the INFORCE treatment required significantly fewer (P = 0.01) second treatments for Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) than did the calves receiving the VISTA treatment. Calves in the INFORCE and PYRAMID treatments required significantly fewer (P = 0.03) third treatments for BRD than did calves in the VISTA treatment. INFORCE treatment tended (P = 0.09) to have a lower percent mortality than VISTA. These data demonstrate that the use of products comprising the INFORCE treatment resulted in fewer calves requiring treatment for BRD or expiring from the disease. It is the conclusion from the data reported in these studies that the inclusion of a DFM product into the ration of newly-arrived beef calves to feedlots was not beneficial to their growth and performance in the current situation. Moreover, the use of the products in the INFORCE treatment were able to prevent more losses associated with morbidity and mortality than the products used in the PYRAMID and VISTA treatments.