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The Evaluation of Nuflor®
Collective Therapy and Objective This trial was designed to measure growth performance, carcass characteristics, field efficacy and cost-effectiveness of Nuflor (florfenicol) as collective therapy followed by Nuflor as therapy for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in steers on feed for 180 - 200 days. Responses were compared to Nuflor as collective therapy followed by Baytril® (enrofloxacin) as BRD therapy. In addition, comparisons were made to cattle not given collective therapy and treated with Nuflor as BRD therapy. Materials and Methods Incoming Cattle Management Seven hundred fifty Continental and Brahma by English cross steers were placed on test in the winter of 2001. These animals were severely stressed due to adverse weather conditions, commingling of cattle from multiple sources and other stresses such as shipping. The animals were processed upon arrival. During processing, the animals were individually identified, weighed and administered therapeutic treatments according to their specific treatment group, administered a modified live viral vaccine (Jencine® 4 vaccine) and Clostridial vaccination (Covexin® 8 vaccine), treated for internal parasites (Dectomax® antiparisiticide) and external parasites (Saber™ Pour-On insecticide) and implanted (Ralgro® implants). In addition, bulls were banded. All study animals were re-implanted with Revalor®-s implants while processing on Day 70 for collection of body weights. Experimental Design The experimental design was a randomized block design comprised of 3 treatments with 10 replicates (pens) per treatment. Each pen contained 25 animals for a total of 250 head per treatment and 750-head total for all 3 treatments. Animals were individually identified with a uniquely numbered eartag, but indistinguishable by treatment group. Pen riders were blinded to treatment assignments. Treatments
Collective Therapy Steers were treated metaphylactically on arrival at the feedyard, as follows:
Bovine Respiratory Disease Treatment Pen riders observed the animals
daily for signs of acute Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD). Animals exhibiting
signs of BRD were removed from the pen for collection of rectal temperatures.
Animals exhibiting acute signs of BRD with a rectal temperature First time pulls in Treatment I (Nuflor/Nuflor) were administered Nuflor (40 mg/kg). Second time pulls were administered Naxcel injectable (1cc/cwt), Vetisulid injectable (5cc/cwt) and Recovr® injectable (10 cc/head) for three (3) consecutive days. First time pulls in Treatment II (Nothing/Nuflor) were administered Nuflor (40 mg/kg). Second time pulls were administered Nuflor (40 mg/kg), and third time pulls were administered Naxcel (1 cc/cwt.), Vetisulid (5cc/cwt) and Recovr (10 cc/head) for three (3) consecutive days. First time pulls in Treatment III (Nuflor/Baytril) were administered Baytril (12.5 mg/kg). Second time pulls were administered Naxcel (1 cc/cwt.), Vetisulid (5 cc/cwt.) and Recovr (10 cc/head) for three (3) consecutive days. Body Weights Individual body weights were collected on all study animals on Days 0, 30, 70 and final. Weights were full weight collected early morning prior to feeding. Feeding Program Cattle were managed using techniques typical for finishing steers. Steers were adapted to the final finishing diet using a series of "step-up" rations (starter, intermediate and finisher), in accordance with normal feedlot operating procedures. Cattle were fed twice (A.M. and P.M.) daily and a clean bunk management approach was followed. Feed refusals were collected and weighed back at weighdays and when needed. Feed batching was done by replicates. Each animal had ad libitum access to water via in line water tanks on a pen-by-pen basis. Carcass Data Carcass data, liver scores and lung lesion scores were collected on an individual animal basis Results Nuflor was effective collective therapy during the first 30 days (Day 0 – 30) after processing, in the face of an extreme BRD challenge, where 79% of the control (non collective therapy) animals were diagnosed with BRD. When comparing the collective therapy treatments I (Nuflor/Nuflor) and III (Nuflor/Baytril) against the non mass medicated animals (Treatment II – Nothing/Nuflor); the non mass medicated animals had significantly more first pulls (79.44% p<0.0001), second pulls (47.21% p<0.02), third pulls (47.31% p<0.0001) and deads (5 p<0.06) from Day 0 to 30. When comparing Nuflor vs. Baytril as BRD treatments, while there were no statistically significant differences in this study, there were numerical and economic differences in many of the performance and health parameters measured. Results were: from Day 0 to 70, the Nuflor/Nuflor animals outperformed the Nuflor/Baytril animals in the following areas: gain (204.95 vs. 193.93), average daily gain (2.93 vs. 2.79), cost of gain ($0.4948 vs. $0.5104), dry consumption (15.30 vs. 15.21), dry conversion (5.23 vs. 5.45), number dead (5 vs. 7), percent mortality (2.00 vs. 2.80) and average treatment cost ($27.78 vs. $29.99). From Day 0 to Finish, the Nuflor/Nuflor animals outperformed the Nuflor/Baytril animals in the following areas: gain (764.36 vs. 745.47), average daily gain (3.46 vs. 3.42), cost of gain ($0.4011 vs. $0.4028), dry consumption (18.67 vs. 18.37), number dead (7 vs. 13), percent mortality (2.81 vs. 5.22) and average treatment cost ($27.92 vs. $29.98). While these differences were evident, there is no guarantee that this performance can be repeated. This trial does demonstrate that Nuflor is a cost-effective tool for collective therapy and treatment of BRD when evaluating production and health performance parameters. Nuflor used as a treatment following Nuflor used in collective therapy was very effective in treating BRD. In this study, Nuflor/Nuflor was numerically favorable in production and health results in profit centers such as gain, average daily gain, cost of gain, dry consumption, number dead, percent mortality and average treatment cost when compared to the Nuflor/Baytril animals. Performance Summary
Performance Summary
Morbidity/Mortality Summary
 0.06.Morbidity/Mortality Summary
0.0001.Performance Summary
Morbidity/Mortality Summary
0.0001.Carcass Data Summary
©2003 Schering-Plough Animal Health Corp. All rights reserved. Saber is a trademark, and Nuflor, Jencine, Covexin, and Ralgro are registered trademarks of Schering-Plough Veterinary Corp. Dectomax is a registered trademark of Pfizer Animal Health. Baytril is a registered trademark of Bayer Animal Health. Naxcel is a registered trademark of Pharmacia. Vetisulid and Recovr are registered trademarks of Fort Dodge Animal Health.
Nuflor at a Glance |
BRD and Foot Rot |
Performance Data |
Management Tips
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104.0
F were administered therapeutic treatment and returned to their home pen.
Animals exhibiting acute signs of BRD with temperatures <104.0 F were
returned to their home pen without treatment. 
