Congestive heart failure in finishing beef calves is increasing, said Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle nutrition specialist, in a letter called Cow-Calf Corner.
BRISKET DISEASE
The condition used to be known as ‘brisket disease’ and was only described in cattle populations at elevations higher than 5,000 to 7,000 feet, Beck said. But congestive heart failure deaths have been reported in feedlots at low and moderate elevations.
It has been estimated that congestive heart failure is responsible for 4% of feedlot mortality causing significant economic losses because the majority of these deaths occur late in the finishing period right before slaughter, he said. And, there appears to be more effect on the highest performing cattle of mostly angus ancestry.
An analysis in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association of the risk factors and timing of heart failure in feedlots in the US and Canada showed that average heart failure occurred at 179 days on feed, Beck said. Beef breeds had higher rates than dairy or dairy/beef crosses.
BOVINE RESPIRATORY DISEASE
The effect of risk for bovine respiratory disease was influenced by feedlot elevation, where high risk cattle for BRD had the lowest heart failure rate at low elevation, he said. But risk categories for BRD did not affect the rate of heart failure in moderate and high elevations.
Researchers concluded that the risk of heart failure has increased over the last 10 years and that these deaths were occurring later in the feeding period, Beck said.
Another study published in the journal Frontiers in Genetics analyzed a heart scoring system and showed that increasing heart scores were correlated with the percentage of angus ancestry in commercial finishing cattle and can be used as a selection tool to reduce heart failure risk that would not interfere with selection for carcass and production traits.
PULMONARY AFTERIAL PRESSURE
Pulmonary arterial pressure also was considered to be a marker for congestive heart failure risk, Beck said. PAP has been used as an indicator trait for pulmonary hypertension at high altitudes (i.e., brisket disease), and the American Angus Association publishes an EPD for PAP as a selection aid.
It is thought that PAP also can be used as a selection tool for heart failure at lower altitudes, he said.
The relationship between PAP and feedlot and carcass performance at moderate elevations was examined by Briggs and others at Colorado State University, Beck said. This analysis also showed that PAP is similar in heritability to production traits like feedlot performance and feed intake and will not negatively affect feedlot performance and carcass quality.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $183.71 per cwt to $187.80, compared with last week’s range of $181.64 to $186.65 per cwt. FOB dressed steers, and heifers went for $287.38 per cwt to $291.15, compared with $283.68 to $291.26.
The USDA choice cutout Tuesday was down $1.94 per cwt at $299.54 while select was off $1.35 at $279.10. The choice/select spread narrowed to $20.44 from $21.08 with 126 loads of fabricated product and 30 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were unchanged at $1.48 to $1.61 a bushel over the Dec corn contract, which settled at $4.79 3/4 a bushel, down $0.01 1/2.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Monday was $253.90 per cwt, down $0.16. This compares with Tuesday’s Sep contract settlement of $252.60 per cwt, down $1.27 and Oct’s $253.87, down $4.95.