Liver abscesses continue to be the one black mark in an emerging vein of the dairy industry that otherwise is mostly rosy: beef cross calves.
According to the National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) units of beef semen sales increased by 260% from 2017 to 2021, largely due to the strategic shift by dairy producers to capture more value for their surplus calves. Those beef-on-dairy-bred calves have been a welcome addition to U.S. feedlots, as the U.S. beef cow herd hit historically low numbers in roughly the same timeframe.
But the challenge of liver abscesses in finished beef cross cattle continues to frustrate feeders and packers. Severe liver abscesses can negatively impact cattle performance in terms of lower bodyweight, carcass yield, and dressing percentage. They also can cause livers to be condemned at slaughter, and may result in even more condemned tissue if the infection spreads to other organs and tissue.
October 13, 2023
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