Are the purchased feeders vaccinated against Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD)? What will happen to 300 feeders?
Beef cattle producers can use the following BRD Vaccination Cost-Benefit Calculator to evaluate the costs, risks and economic benefits of feeding calves that have been vaccinated for bovine respiratory disease compared to calves that have not.
BRD Vaccination Cost-Benefit Calculator
Step 1. Producer Information |
|
|---|---|
| Number of Feeders (head) | |
| Feeder Price ($/lb) | |
| Average Feeder Weight (lbs) | |
| Average Cost of Gain ($/day) | |
| Number of Days on Feed | |
| Expected Fed Cattle Price ($/lb) | |
| Treatment cost for BRD ($/head) | |
Instructions:
Step 1: Enter information in the yellow-shaded cells. It is suggested to keep the blue-shaded cell as the set defaults unless data is known.
Step 2: Scroll down to see Result Summary Charts.
Step 3: Scroll right to see the Decision Making Flow Chart comparing the results.
Check out the resources under Learn More
Assumptions
– Assume feeders are vaccinated at cow-calf or backgrounding operations, hence the cost of vaccination is excluded in this feedlot level analysis.
– Typical morbidity (disease) incidence from BRD for vaccinated calves: 5%
– Typical mortality (death) incidence from BRD for vaccinated calves: 0.8%
– On average, estimate 11.4% of unvaccinated calves will get sick from BRD, and 4.2% will die; with best case scenario being only 6.8% get sick and 1.2% die, and worst case scenario 19.2% get sick and 13.3% die.*
– Average daily gain of cattle treated once is 0.15lb/day lower than cattle that were never treated (Schneider et al. 2009)
– Percentage of cattle graded AAA or better is 71% for cattle that were never treated, and 57% for cattle treated once (Schneider et al. 2009)
– Price discount on AA compared to AAA cattle is $0.06/lb**
– Disposal cost for feeders died from BRD is $200/head. (Canfax Survey)
* Based on Odds Ratio and Confidence Intervals for odds of morbidity and mortality for unvaccinated calves naturally exposed to BRD (Theurer et al., 2015)
** Estimated based on five-year average Canadian cutout and Alberta fed steer prices
Step 2. Result Summary
Sources:
Theurer, M. E., Larson, R. L., & White, B. J. (2015). Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of commercially available vaccines against bovine herpesvirus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza type 3 virus for mitigation of bovine respiratory disease complex in cattle. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 246(1), 126-142.
Dr. Nathan Erickson and Kathy Larson, Cost-Benefit Comparison of BRD and BVD Vaccinations
Schneider, M. J., Tait Jr, R. G., Busby, W. D., & Reecy, J. M. (2009). An evaluation of bovine respiratory disease complex in feedlot cattle: Impact on performance and carcass traits using treatment records and lung lesion scores. Journal of animal science, 87(5), 1821-1827.
*** Additional Loss = Potential Total Loss from Not Vaccinated Cattle – Potential Loss from Vaccinated Cattle
Step 3. Flow Chart
Yes
No
Unvaccinated calves have higher morbidity (disease) and mortality (death) risk than vaccinated calves.
About 5% calves get sick and need treatment, 0.8% die
Best Case Scenario:
6.8% get sick from BRD and need treatment, 1.2% die
Average Case:
11.4% get sick, 4.2% die
Worst Case Scenario:
19.2% get sick, 13.3% die
Death Loss: 3 head die due to BRD
4 head die due to BRD
13 head die due to BRD
40 head die due to BRD
The cost of death loss is 3899 or 13/head on all feeders
The cost of death loss is 5198 or 17/head on all feeders
Cost of death loss is 16894 or 56/head on all feeders
Cost of death loss is 51980 or 58/head on all feeders
Disease Prevalence: head are sick and need treatment
head are sick and need treatment
head are sick and need treatment
head are sick and need treatment
The total treatment cost is or /head on all feeders
Total treatment cost is or /head on all feeders
Total treatment cost is or /head on all feeders
Total treatment cost is or /head on all feeders
The cose of production loss is or /head on all feeders
The cose of production loss is or /head on all feeders
The cose of production loss is or /head on all feeders
The cose of production loss is or /head on all feeders
Your total loss is or /head
Total loss: or /head
Total loss: or /head
Your total loss is or /head