The U.S. beef industry has consistently increased production and productivity for decades. Cattle health has gotten worse. You read that right.
Darrell Peel, Oklahoma State University livestock marketing specialist, says respiratory disease is the biggest health problem in the industry. Data shows that average feedlot death loss has practically doubled from 0.82 percent in 1995 and 1996 to 1.6 percent in the last 24 months. In addition to proven management practices, he says lifetime animal health management is important – and a challenge.
Source: FarmTalk, November 19, 2019. Link. Lifetime animal health management is increasingly recognized as a significant challenge for the beef cattle industry with implications ranging from fetal programming that impacts lifetime health and productivity; to improved economic incentives for better coordination of animal health management across multiple production sectors.
INSIGHTS: Peel’s observations remind us all that re-education and using best management practices throughout the cattle life cycle are the ways to keep industry value and animal health as high as possible.