Liver abscess study follows pathogen path

As beef-on-dairy crossbreeding continues to provide added profits for dairy farmers across the nation, researchers are trying to keep pace with the growing population of crossbred cattle — because this trend, while friendly to the bottom line, is accompanied by an uptick in instances of liver abscess formation. In fact, research from Texas A&M University and other institutions has put the liver abscess occurrence percentage at 50% for beef-on-dairy cattle, compared to around 20% for their purebred beef counterparts.

Stats like that have grabbed the attention of producers concerned about the health of their cattle and pocketbooks, as well as spurring research efforts. USDA research microbiologist Rand Broadway, along with researchers from Texas Tech University, Texas A&M University, and Kansas State University examined the variables that might contribute to such high liver abscess numbers in dairy-beef crossbred animals. The group has looked at diet type, ruminal acidosis tied to high-grain diets, along with the digestive system biome for clues to the causes. Their most recent study debunks a conventional theory. It turns out high-energy diet-induced acidosis is not the sole culprit. Broadway noted, “Our research indicates that pathogen presence alone is sufficient to cause an abscess. Therefore, if we can reduce the pathogen load and block its pathway to the liver, we can control the problem.”

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Jessica Miller

July 21,2025

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