Developing a Rapid, Chute-Side Diagnostic Test to Inform BRD Treatment
Project Title
Development of a Rapid, Chute-Side Diagnostic Test to Aid in the Identification of Feedlot Cattle Requiring Treatment for Respiratory Disease
Researchers
Michael Jelinski [email protected]
Dr. Todd McMullen (University of Alberta) Dr. Matthew Nickel (University of Alberta) Brian Warr (Veterinary Agri-Health Services Ltd.) Stuart Thiessen (Namaka Farms Inc.)
| Status | Project Code |
|---|---|
| In progress. Results expected in August, 2025 | POC.10.24 |
Background
Bovine respiratory disease continues to be the biggest animal health challenge to the Canadian cattle feeding sector. Data compiled over time suggests that morbidity and mortality due to respiratory disease continues to increase in spite of the introduction of new antimicrobials and a newer generation of vaccines over the last two decades. Many technologies have been examined to help in the detection and diagnosis of respiratory disease. In spite of this, traditional visual pen checking followed by rectal temperature assessment is still the standard management strategy used to diagnose sick cattle. However, visual assessment has been long recognized to lack sensitivity and specificity (approximate 62 % sensitive and 63% specific), leading to a high percentage of false positive and false negative diagnoses. The current study is the first to apply a rapid, chute side test to cattle that have presumptively been identified as having respiratory disease, to attempt to improve animal health outcomes.
Objectives
- Use of an inflammatory biomarker to predict the need for antimicrobial treatment in a feedlot setting
- Demonstrate that the technology is rapid, robust and can be used chute-side
- That haptoglobin can be correlated to respiratory disease outcomes in a commercial feedlot setting
What they will do
This research project will utilize a rapid diagnostic test developed in the lab of Dr. Todd McMullen for measuring the acute phase protein haptoglobin in a blood sample. The researchers will sample a population of approximately 500 animals that are pulled for treatment of respiratory disease and from the test results and health outcomes build a reference range that can be used to determine animals requiring treatment for respiratory disease.
Implications
A rapid chute side diagnostic test for bovine respiratory disease will lead to better animal health outcomes, and reduced antibiotic use. This has direct benefits in helping to mitigate antimicrobial resistance, improve animal welfare and enhance economic sustainability.