Research Progress Report 15 April, 1962
SHIPPING FEVER STUDIES WITH BEEF CATTLE
W. M. Beeson, T. W. Perry and M. T. Mohler, Department of Animal Sciences
Summary of Results
No severe incidences of shipping fever were observed in any of the three experiments reported here. Ordinarily some cases are expected when as many as 225 calves are involved. The cattle in this research were handled with extreme care; every effort was made to maintain quietness around the newly arrived cattle. Possibly the feeding and management schedule followed was sufficient to prevent acute shipping fever symptoms.
Neither treatments in Experiment 1 (50, 000 I. U. of vitamin A per day alone or in combination with 400 milligrams of Aureo-mycin) resulted in gains superior to those made by the cattle in the control lot.
In Experiment 2, since one control lot gained less than a pound per day, it would appear that all treatments were superior to the control lot. However, a second control lot gained almost as well as two of the antibiotic-treated. lots, but not as well as two other antibiotic-treated lots.
Similarly, in Experiment 3, it appears that cattle fed either 50, 000 I.U. of supplemental vitamin A or those fed 1/2 pound of dehydrated alfalfa pellets per day gained slightly more than the control animals whereas the other treatments were without effect.
In order to give comparative shipping fever treatments a fair comparison, there would need to be at least a reasonable outbreak of shipping fever. Previous research has indicated an effective program is to feed from 350 to 400 milligrams of Aureomycin
or Terramycin per head daily for the first week after arrival. Then, for the next 2 weeks, cut the level of antibiotic feeding to 75 milligrams per head daily. Any cattle that develop shipping fever symptoms in spite of the program should be isolated for special attention.
Shipping Fever Losses
One of the greatest hazards in cattle feeding is the loss caused by the shipping fever complex when cattle are moved from one place to another. The shipping fever complex is usually associated with stress factors that arise when cattle are weaned, sorted and transported.
Both vitamin A and antibiotics have been shown to be related to an animals ability to resist stresses. Therefore, it was desirable to study the possible role of supplemental vitamin A or antibiotics - or both - in controlling the shipping fever complex in beef cattle.
Experimental Procedure
Three different experiments involving a total of 224 calves were conducted between November 2 and December 28, 1961. All three groups of calves were shipped by rail from ranches in the southwestern area of the United States.
Experiment 1--November 2 to November 22: Seventy-five Hereford steer calves averaging 531 pounds were weighed and gate-cut into one of three treatments upon arrival at the livestock Research Barn (each treat-
PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana