Are the purchased feeders vaccinated against Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD)? What will happen to 300 feeders?
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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 $3,899 or $13/head on all feeders
The cost of death loss is $5,198 or $17/head on all feeders
Cost of death loss is $16,894 or $56/head on all feeders
Cost of death loss is $51,980 or $173/head on all feeders
Disease Prevalence: 15 head are sick and need treatment
21 head are sick and need treatment
35 head are sick and need treatment
58 head are sick and need treatment
The total treatment cost is $630 or $2/head on all feeders
Total treatment cost is $882 or $3/head on all feeders
Total treatment cost is $1,436 or $5/head on all feeders
Total treatment cost is $2,419 or $8/head on all feeders
The cose of production loss is $542 or $2/head on all feeders
The cose of production loss is $759 or $3/head on all feeders
The cose of production loss is $1,264 or $4/head on all feeders
The cose of production loss is $2,095 or $7/head on all feeders
Your total loss is $5,070 or $17/head
Total loss: $6,839 or $23/head
Total loss: $19,594 or $65/head
Your total loss is $56,494 or $188/head