Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station Lafayette, Indiana
Mimeo A.H, 216 September 6, 1957
CONTROLLING SHIPPING FEVER IN CATTLE
W. M. Beeson and T. W. Perry Department of Animal Husbandry Purdue University Lafayette, Indiana
Modem science has taught us that shipping fever in cattle is a disease brought on by stress and should be rightfully called ^Stress Fever." This disease is usually caused by subjecting cattle to various stress factors such as excitement, fatigue, starvation, dehydration, drafty cars or trucks and overcrowding. Dust and other foreign matter irritate the lungs and eyes. Lack of water and feed upsets the normal processes of rumination and digestion. As a result of all these stress factors, you have an animal with lowered resistance, which is vulnerable to colds, influenza and pneumonia. Bovine shipping fever is essentially an infectious respiratory disease triggered by predisposing stress factors. No sure cure or preventative method has been developed to prevent completely the occurrence of this disease; but there are certain management, feed and antibiotic practices which will reduce the severity and keep the death losses to a minimum.
Recommendations which will assist in controlling shipping fever are as follows:
1. Feed an antibiotic—either aureomycin or terramycin—for 21 to 28
days after the cattle arrive. There are two systems which are effective;
(1) Feed in a supplement or mixed feed 500 mg, of antibiotic for 5 days or more if necessary, and then reduce the level to 70 or 80 mg, per head daily
for the next 16 to 23 days or (2) feed 350 mg. of antibiotic per steer or heifer daily for 21 to 28 days, and then discontinue or reduce to 70 to 80 mg, per animal daily. Since cattle are reluctant to eat supplement when they first arrive, it is most effective to mix the antibiotic feed supplement either with ground corn cobs or chopped hay as a complete ration. According to one of the methods given if antibiotic treatment is to be effective, it must be consumed by the animals shortly after they arrive on the farm. On arrival, cattle are hungry for roughage and thirsty for water.. They usually will not eat a supplement or mixed grain feed the first few days if fed separately from roughage. Therefore, for best results the high-level antibiotic supplement should be mixed with the roughage in the amount that the cattle will consume. For the first few days, calves will consume 7 to 8 pounds of complete feed per day. Thus, mix 2 pounds supplement containing 250 mg/ antibiotic per pound with 5 to 6 pounds of ground corn cobs or chopped hay.
2.	Unload cattle into a dry lot equipped with a shelter and dry bedding.
3.	Give the cattle a comfortable place to rest for 3 weeks or more without being disturbed. Complete rest and freedom from excitement is one of the keys to reducing shipping fever. Under no circumstances should dehorning, castrating, branding or any other operation be done during this rest period.
4.	Allow free access to clean water and a mineral mixture of 2 parts of bonemeal and 1 part of salt.