Incidenza di problematiche respiratorie e performance di crescita di bovini da ristallo ad alto rischio BRD sottoposti a trattamento anti-infettivo d’arrivo

Introduction - The bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the main cause of morbidity, mortality and economic loss in beef cattle rearing. Stress due to transport and adaptation to the new farming conditions, and exposure to infectious agents in the markets are the main factors predisposing to this syndrome. Other to apply strategies to boost animals immunity and to quickly restore their rumen functionality, in specific high-risk conditions, an arrival anti-infective treatment (AAT) is the only way to limit BRD morbidity. Aim - The purpose of this study was to verify the impact of BRD and growth performance in groups of animals subjected to AAT with two different active compounds. Materials and methods - In the trial were included 22 newly received beef cattle groups (975 female charolaise) considered at high-risk for BRD because of subjects and transport characteristics, and management level of the fattening rearing. The groups were randomly subjected to a different AAT with gamithromycin (12 groups, 521 animals) or tulathromycin (10 groups, 454 animals). The average weight of each group was recorded at the arrival in the fattening rearing and at the end of the productive cycle to obtain the group average daily gain. During the first 30 days of rearing the animals were daily inspected and if needed, visited and specifically treated in case of pathology. Results and discussion - The overall morbidity and BRD incidence were lower (P<0.001) in the experimental group that received the AAT with gamithromycin. The difference in morbidity has not affected the growth performance of the two experimental groups. No differences between the two groups have been recorder for locomotor apparatus diseases, gastro-intestinal pathology, mortality or number of cattle that needed to be isolated in infirmary barns. Conclusions - Considering the recent regulations concerning the rational use of antibiotics, the careful choice of preventive protocol/treatment other than the active compound used in relation not only to the pathogens but also to the BRD risk level, could be considered an effective and responsible use of drugs.