Feedlot cattle liver abscess research ramped up to target antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance - when microorganisms such as bacteria become resistant to medicines like antibiotics - is increasingly making headlines as experts highlight the economic and health pain already being felt as crucial medicines become ineffective.

The United Nations says at least 700,000 people already die each year due to drug-resistant diseases, including 230,000 people who die from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. It is forecasting 10 million deaths a year by 2050.

The UN says more and more common diseases, including respiratory tract infections, sexually transmitted infections and urinary tract infections, are becoming untreatable, lifesaving medical procedures are becoming much riskier, and our food systems are increasingly precarious.

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Livestock industries around the world have put together strategies on the responsible use of antibiotics but industry leaders say developing solutions to animal disease that does not require antibiotics is now key.

The International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture has just awarded nine grants to develop management strategies that improve judicious antibiotic use in beef cattle and swine.

Organisations like Cargill, Phibro Animal Health and Texas A&M University have also chipped in significant research funds.

Five of the projects address liver abscesses in feedlot cattle.

The exact cause of liver abscesses is unknown. However, once abscesses form, they are highly susceptible to the Fusobacterium necrophorum bacterium, resulting in major economic loss to producers due to impaired cattle performance and lower carcase value. The bacteria are currently controlled and prevented through the use of antimicrobial drugs.

Research will include identifying specific bacterial species in cattle liver abscesses beyond the primary species, how beef cattle immune systems react throughout the lifecycle of F. necrophorum and the movement of bacteria and organisms that live in the intestines of cattle with liver abscesses.

The relationship between acids in the rumen and liver abscesses will also be researched.

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While data from a Meat & Livestock Australia study involving 400,000 cattle between 2014 and 2020 demonstrated a low incidence of liver abscesses relative to the North American industry, the work is on the radar of the Australian beef industry.

Australian Lot Feeders Association president Barb Madden said it was imperative all livestock were well cared for to ensure the prevention of disease, not only to promote good animal health and welfare outcomes, but as a key driver of cattle productivity.

Good ration management, including gradual introduction of the diet, consistent ration delivery and intake and focusing on ration formulation through the life of the feeding period, were all practices that help minimise the risk, she said.

"The industry is also constantly learning and adopting new feeding techniques and we have a great network of nutritionists servicing the industry," Ms Madden said.

"Often cattle with liver abscess don't present with clinical signs and it's not always easy to detect unless productivity has been impacted or until feedback is received from the processor.

"So it's important for operators to take on board processor feedback and talk to their nutritionist about how it can be minimised."

The Department of Agriculture says Australia is a world leader in minimising the use of antibiotics in food producing animals.

In a 2015 United Kingdom review, Australia was ranked the fifth-lowest for antibiotic use in agriculture among the 29 countries examined, it says.

Antimicrobial stewardship is one of the six priority areas in the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework.