Location: Nutrition, Growth and Physiology
Title: Liver abscess research at USMARC: Is there a genetic solution?Author
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Bradford, Heather |
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Submitted to: Nebraska Cattleman Magazine
Publication Type: Trade Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/12/2026 Publication Date: 3/27/2026 Citation: Bradford, H.L. 2026. Liver abscess research at USMARC: Is there a genetic solution? Nebraska Cattleman Magazine. 82(4):48-52. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Liver abscesses represent a major economic challenge to the U.S. beef industry, contributing to more than $900 million in annual losses due to liver condemnation, carcass trim, reduced feed efficiency, and slower processing. Current prevention relies on feeding management strategies—such as gradual diet transitions, increased roughage, and tylosin phosphate use—though regulatory constraints and concerns regarding antibiotic resistance underscore the need for alternatives. Research conducted at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center using data from approximately 9,000 cattle indicated liver abscesses were lowly heritable (h² = 0.04), limiting the potential for rapid genetic progress. Neither heterosis nor breed type significantly influenced liver abscess incidence, suggesting crossbreeding and breed selection offer minimal mitigation value. Ongoing USMARC research aims to investigate relationships among feeding behavior, rumen health, microbiome composition, and lifetime disease interactions to support development of improved nonantibiotic management strategies for reducing liver abscess prevalence. |