Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most important issues facing producers, veterinarians and the medical community today. Beef cattle producers can play a major role in combating antimicrobial resistance by implementing better management practices and new technologies, but first, it’s important to understand why antimicrobial resistance exists. Dr. Peter Wunderlich, a Texas-based veterinarian, said part of the issue is simply that these organisms were created to adapt and survive.
“Antimicrobial resistance is real,” Wunderlich told WLJ. “Biology, physiology and Mother Nature are a lot smarter than we are, and these pathogens were created to survive.”
How can producers help combat these ever-adapting pathogens? Wunderlich said making a more accurate diagnosis, implementing emerging technologies and using overall better herd health management practices will make an impact on antimicrobial resistance in beef cattle operations, veterinary medicine and, ultimately, human medicine.
Systems to assist with diagnosis
“Part of the issue is sometimes we’re treating things that are nonbacterial diseases as bacterial diseases,” Wunderlich said. “I was trained to first make a diagnosis and treat second. When you know what you’re treating, your treatment is always going to be more effective. However, veterinarians cannot be at every farm, every time, for every sick animal. So, we as veterinarians need to determine how to better train producers to accurately diagnose on a narrow spectrum when we are not available.”
[inline_image file=”1b0b2ce725ce5f871b26301f9535a285.jpg” caption=”Whisper on Arrival is used to predict BRD risk. Courtesy of Merck Animal Health.”]
Merck Animal Health has developed a tool to help producers do just that. The Whisper On Arrival system is a noninvasive tool designed to confirm bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and predict which animals will need treatment. The Whisper On Arrival device is a paddle placed on the animal’s chest behind the elbow that captures respiratory sounds as digital files and wirelessly sends those files to a chute-side computer/tablet system. The operator enters the animal’s body weight and rectal temperature on the tablet. Then, a “machine-learning algorithm utilizes the data to predict the risk of BRD for each animal and provides the operator with a BRD antimicrobial control decision: ‘Treat’ or ‘do not treat.’”
“Just like humans may be subjected to a stress test to predict their risk for a future cardiac event, the Whisper On Arrival technology leverages the stress experienced during the procurement period to predict the risk of BRD,” Dr. Jason Nickell, director of insights and outcomes for Merck Animal Health, told WLJ. “By capturing heart, lung and body weight data, the technology provides an individualized risk of developing BRD.”
He said the data points are ultimately used to make metaphylaxis decisions while the animal is in the chute. The product is designed to build upon the very effective management practice of metaphylaxis, Nickell explained. This technology provides a more targeted approach by administering the drug to the individual animals that are at elevated risk while leaving the remaining animals without BRD control therapy.
Clinical trial and customer use data indicates that metaphylactic antibiotics may be reduced by about 45 percent on average while performing no different than the traditional metaphylaxis practices (i.e., 100 percent application), he said. Conversely, the technology has shown value in low-risk populations where metaphylaxis may not be traditionally used.
[inline_image file=”843e7b0ba1fa611af22d2f4eae6f20e3.jpg” caption=”Whisper on Arrival indicates treatment protocol. Courtesy of Merck Animal Health.”]
“In those cases, about 20 percent of animals have shown to benefit from metaphylaxis therapy. The product is designed for those engaged in stocker, backgrounding, and/or feedlot product systems,” Nickell said. “The technology is designed to be simple for the user. However, initial training and ongoing customer support is provided.”
Accurate diagnosis tools are being developed all around the world. One European company, Agricam, has several tools for dairy operations. Currently, Agricam offers a thermal camera system for identifying mastitis in dairy operations, the Bacticam. Bacticam will scan photos of a milk sample and deliver culture results within 24 hours. The Bacticam system can quickly identify mastitis, resulting in faster, more efficient treatment and a reduced need for antimicrobial intervention.
Technology for feedlots
Kristin Hales, Thornton Distinguished Chair in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University, is conducting a research project to implement the use of infrared technology to scan the eyes of feedyard cattle at arrival. The project is titled “Development of a science-based management strategy to reduce the use of antimicrobials in high-risk beef cattle.” The research seeks to develop a method to individually identify animals needing antimicrobial treatment based on the surface temperature of the animal’s eye using infrared thermography, thus reducing the use of unnecessary antimicrobials.
[inline_image file=”0e76ae44c20f1b982779859b5a869619.jpg” caption=”An infrared camera scans an animal’s eye to identify whether antimicrobials are needed. Courtesy of Kristin Hales.”]
“Research that provides chute-side animal management technologies that decrease the use of antimicrobials in cattle production is critical,” Hales said. “Infrared thermography measures the surface temperature by detecting heat that is produced. Measuring the surface temperature of the eye is of particular interest because the cornea temperature is generally similar to core body temperature.”
Hales said measuring the infrared temperature of the eye is repeatable, and the temperature is not affected by the presence of hair around the eye. If cattle can be individually identified and targeted for antimicrobial treatment (targeted metaphylaxis) based on a reliable physiological marker as an indicator of illness—such as infrared thermography—this will prevent otherwise healthy cattle from being metaphylactically treated and decrease overall antimicrobial use.
[inline_image file=”d683e066a8e7debe4002c33066a21ba9.jpg” caption=”Infrared thermography measures the surface temperature of an animal’s eye. Courtesy of Kristin Hales.”]
Wunderlich said with the development of tools for more accurate chute-side diagnosis, unnecessary antimicrobial use should continue to decline.
“Vaccination records and electronic ID merging technologies will also positively impact the antimicrobial resistance issue,” Wunderlich said. “If we have all the vaccination and management records available to us when animals arrive at their next stage of production, that is going to help us screen those animals. The veterinary industry is looking at all sorts of other parameters—like how many miles have they been hauled, temperature and humidity indices, different blood proteins, different breed characteristics, etc.”
[inline_image file=”e84747676a939c21b45c7ddadb5e02b2.jpg” caption=”Research students work on Kristin Hales’ research project to implement the use of infrared technology to scan the eyes of feedyard cattle at arrival. Courtesy of Kristin Hales.”]
Wunderlich said the goal is to be able to screen cattle better to avoid unnecessary use of antimicrobials, and veterinarians are working to be able to differentiate between bacterial and viral diseases chute-side. “We don’t clinically have that ability yet, but we’re working towards reducing the turnaround time of impactful diagnostics.”
Advancements in the future
Wunderlich said another advance toward less antimicrobial use in the future may be genetic interpretation and selection. “Today, people are able to look at the genetics of their pet and find out what breeds their adopted dog may contain,” Wunderlich said.
“In cattle, we can select for economically desirable traits with a 50K test off a small piece of ear tissue or drops of blood. That technology is already here. We just need to learn how to interpret all those things in light of how we’re going to treat, manage and breed those animals in the future. Part of that may be genetic selection for hardiness, longevity and specific disease resistance.”
More producer education, intentional breeding decisions and good communication between producers and veterinarians will help limit potentially unnecessary antimicrobial use. The SimpleVET Solutions platform by Simple AG Solutions is designed to help streamline Food and Drug Administration regulatory compliance through animal health record-keeping. SimpleVET Solutions has two tools to ensure regulatory compliance in production agriculture.
One allows veterinarians to write prescriptions for an operation on their own. The other allows producers to pre-fill forms with symptoms and request prescriptions from their veterinarians. The program gives producers the ability to track and record all drug use and veterinary communication in one place, ensuring regulation compliance and transparency.
Beyond reducing antimicrobial use and facilitating better record-keeping, some companies are working to produce antimicrobial alternatives. One such company, Nextbiotics, is developing a biotechnology platform utilizing proprietary algorithms and synthetic biology to enhance bacteriophages. A bacteriophage is a virus that infects pathogenic bacteria. Nextbiotics wants to enhance bacteriophages’ ability to target and destroy specific bacteria as an alternative to antimicrobials.
AgThera Inc. is another company devoted to developing solutions for reducing antimicrobial use. AgThera uses genetic engineering, machine learning and biomanufacturing to develop new antimicrobial and antiviral live therapeutics. These newly-developed antimicrobials will target previously antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. Currently, they are focusing on products for chicken and pork production, with plans to expand to beef production in the future.
[inline_image file=”96ee752cbc7ea91a7496cecf6789d76a.jpg” caption=”A USDA veterinarian inspects a cow on a small farm in Texas. Courtesy of USDA, R. Anson Eaglin.”]
Other organizations are working to develop antimicrobial probiotics and better nutritional supplementation programs to reduce antimicrobial resistance. Russell Carrell, Ph.D., beef technical services specialist with Cargill, said nutrition plays a big role in mitigating the need for antimicrobial use.
“For an animal’s immune system to fully function, we need them to be in a state of proper nutrition,” Carrell told WLJ. “By providing an adequate diet with enough protein, fiber, energy, clean water, micro- and macro-minerals, we are going to reduce reliance on antimicrobials. In many instances, we can replace antimicrobials with an adequate diet.”
Carrell said feet and leg issues can often be combated with an increase in iodine and zinc in mineral programs. You can mitigate the need for antimicrobial use in weaning calves by having them eat and drink water quickly. Feed consumption in calves can be encouraged by using pelleted feeds, as they’re more palatable.
“Ensuring our cattle are getting the nutrients they need will mitigate the use of antimicrobials. However, there are instances where antimicrobials are very necessary, but those instances should be determined through a relationship with our veterinarian.”
Wunderlich said the fight against antimicrobial resistance encompasses the entirety of producers’ efforts to steward their animals.
“It’s about doing a better job of animal husbandry,” Wunderlich said. “That includes everything we do from vaccinations, to record-keeping, to low-stress handling practices, to the technologies we implement to better diagnose illnesses.”
He said antimicrobials should be preserved so that when they are needed, they work. “If we do a better job of animal husbandry, from conception to when our animals leave the operation, we are reducing antimicrobial usage and therefore are better stewards of the animals we were called to care for,” he concluded.
