Over recent decades, cattle disease management, prevention and treatment have changed dramatically. Vaccines, antibiotics, technology and even diseases have altered course.
Using knowledge gained from past successes and failures, what does the crystal ball predict for the future of cattle health care?
Vaccines and antibiotics
“I admit my crystal ball has never been known to work well,” laughs Brian Vander Ley, associate professor of veterinary epidemiology and the assistant director of the Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. “That said, 20 years in the future, as our understanding of the diseases we face regularly improves, I believe an initial change we’ll see is more targeted vaccines.”
He says mRNA and subunit vaccines offer opportunities to create more directed protection than today’s vaccines. Antibiotic use will also adapt as producers are forced to decrease their use.
“It’s a worthy goal, and since we’re using the amount we do, it proves we’re not doing enough to keep animals healthy,” he says. “We’ll find better ways to help reduce antibiotic use. This will benefit livestock operators, as it’s an expense and a production loss.”
John de Jong, president of the World Veterinary Association (WVA), believes vaccines, although under heavy scrutiny, have changed the health of all species on the planet for the better over the last several generations, and their refinement will continue.
“New diseases will emerge because, inherently, this always happens,” de Jong says. “The pharmaceutical industry will be at the forefront of combating these diseases. Oversight of production, utilization and, most importantly, safety and efficacy will be paramount as new vaccines help provide the best and safest outcomes.”
He says antimicrobial resistance will remain front of mind, especially in food industries like cattle production.
“Increased pressure will be brought to bear on the non-judicious use of antibiotics,” de Jong says. “It’s fair to say the world is moving in the right direction, trying to stay ahead of antimicrobial resistance. We at the WVA support the idea that animal, human and environmental health are all intertwined and codependent for life on Earth. If we allow the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, it will be harmful to cattle and to those consuming their products.”
Technology advancements and their driving force
Vander Ley believes outside pressures will be the largest driver spurring technological advances to limit antibiotic use.
“The public will become more nervous and demand less antibiotic use through marketing and the supply chain dynamics,” he says. “This pressure will drive technology’s development and options.”
He envisions gene editing progressing rapidly, with more trials to protect cattle without vaccines.
“We’ve already published a paper looking at editing animals to be resistant to BVD infections,” he says. “Swine trials also point to a dramatic susceptibility reduction using this approach. Further advancements in this field will make vaccination irrelevant in some cases.”
Vander Ley expects additional monitoring to occur, regularly using sensor-driven biometrics displaying details and data of an animal’s physiologic state. This will include a progression of measurements, a determination of their meaning and how they can be leveraged.
De Jong states a combination of factors will drive technological advances and health care changes as the public will increase U.S.-centric pressure on the government.
“Right or wrong, this has translated to human health,” he says. “Animal welfare is more relevant today than ever, and rightfully so.”
The path of diseases
De Jong also expects diseases to change as new viruses emerge.
“Over the last five to 50 years and through the COVID pandemic, these mutations have emerged,” he says. “We’d love to get ahead of this completely, but viruses and bacteria are often smarter than humans, developing their unique pathways to be successful in what they do.”
Vander Ley foresees today’s primary struggles with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) to remain due to the industry’s current management system. Where cattle originate, and how they’re bought and sold, will continue to drive respiratory problems. Due to a lack of adjustments in the chain’s function, Vander Ley imagines we’ll continue to wrestle with pneumonia, calf scours and other common ailments.
“The beauty of our supply chain is it capitalizes and leverages a diverse array of resources,” Vander Ley says. “It would be sad to lose this. Beef cattle are an amazing resource for food, as they upcycle and turn things we can’t eat into things we can.”
Farm size disparity makes it extremely difficult to completely interrupt the system to preserve the resilience of the food supply chain.
“We need to uncover ways to cope with the issues diversity introduces, like needing to commingle calves to make them functional in a feedlot,” says Vander Ley. “We’ll continue to learn and find ways to mitigate the problems while still taking advantage of the benefits of our diverse and resilient supply system.”
Faith in the future
Vander Ley believes U.S. commercial and seedstock beef producers will keep pace with what’s coming over the horizon.
“Our agricultural operations keep their eye on so many spinning dials,” he says. “They’re knowledgeable and adaptable. Their biggest challenge will likely be determining which technologies or practices will be a good fit and which ones to avoid.”
While much will shift in processes, management and strategies, de Jong is certain the large animal industry is in good hands, as veterinarians’ commitment to upholding well-being, animal health and human health will continue.
“We as veterinarians are more than just animal doctors,” he says. “We’re food safety, production, research, education and animal welfare. Veterinarians will stay well educated and committed to providing the best possible care regardless of the year.”
Vander Ley says animal health struggles will likely come from not having a clear picture of where it should go in the future.
“Individuals see their own window, but as an industry, we don’t envision it clearly,” he says. “This makes us susceptible to reacting to the day’s fire, jumping out of the proverbial frying pan into the fire. It’s part of the risk, and I hope [that picture] will become clearer.”
