Pneumonia-induced lung damage could be costing some cattle almost 74kg a year in lost lifetime growth potential with even moderate damage resulting in animals losing 39kg over an 18 month beef finishing system.

These are the figures from a major collaborative study between Schering-Plough and Blade Farming, announced yesterday. They suggest that some producers may not be treating cattle pneumonia as effectively as they could. The project also highlights how better abattoir feedback can be used to improve cattle pneumonia management regimes on farm.

In the study, 645 commercial beef animals from 15 units were examined at slaughter for evidence of lung damage. Data on carcase weight, age and grade were also collected to allow estimated daily live weight gains (EDLWG) to be recorded.

According to project co-ordinator Paul Williams MRCVS from Schering-Plough, the research team recorded a significant level of pneumonia-induced lung damage in the slaughtered cattle.

“Nearly half the cattle (48%) examined on the slaughter line had some level of lung damage. But there was also huge variation between units, with all the cattle from one particular farm having damaged lungs,” he said.

The researchers also established that the extent of lung damage was strongly associated with reduced EDLWG. “The more lung lobes that are affected, the greater the potential daily liveweight gain loss and those cattle that had the most lung damage experienced a significant reduction in EDLWG of 202g per day throughout their entire lifetime.

“For the animals with any degree of lung damage (310 cattle), the average reduction in weight gain over 14 months was 15kg – equivalent to a financial loss of £16.90 per animal based on a live weight price of £1.10 per kg. So the overall loss for this group of animals was potentially £5,239 – money the industry simply cannot afford to lose,” Paul Williams stressed.

“In addition, those carcases with lung damage were significantly more likely to have a lower conformation grade and so receive an even lower price,” he explained.

Blade Farming managing director Richard Phelps pointed out that the study had convinced him that paying closer attention to minimising pneumonia-induced lung damage could easily make some beef producers an extra £40-£50 an animal.

“All the cattle we take look healthy, but I’ve been surprised at the level of undetected lung damage once the animals have been slaughtered. This lung scoring trial work in the abattoir is now helping us assess just how much lung damage diseases like pneumonia can cause. The feedback will be able to help producers reassess early stage rearing issues and be more vigilant. It’s not just grading issues that we are concerned about.

Blade Farming consultant veterinary surgeon Rob Drysdale from the Westpoint Veterinary Group stressed that whilst pneumonia prevention should be the number one objective for all cattle producers, having an effective disease treatment protocol in place is increasingly vital – and particularly one that prevents permanent lung damage from occurring. He said: "Pneumonia infections can quickly damage lungs and once this happens the animal will not be able to express its full genetic potential. This means that even if the affected animal survives it is likely to have damaged lungs for the rest of its life, and this will reduce productivity and growth."

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