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Title: HAPTOGLOBIN RESPONSE TO CLINICAL RESPIRATORY DISEASE IN FEEDLOT CATTLE

Author
item WITTUM, THOMAS - OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
item Young, Colin
item Stanker, Larry
item GRIFFIN, D - UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
item PERINO, LOUIS - UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
item Littledike, E

Submitted to: American Journal of Veterinary Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: We measured serum haptoglobin levels in cases of clinical respiratory disease in feedlot cattle. Our objectives were to quantify serum haptoglobin response to bovine respiratory disease, and to investigate its ability to predict the outcome of the case, as well as the response to and need for antimicrobial therapy. The study population consisted of 60 feedlot calves with clinical respiratory disease during their first 65 days on feed. As cases were identified, they were randomly assigned to either receive a standard antibiotic treatment regimen (TRT), or to observation pens where they were monitored until it was determined they had either recovered or required treatment to recover (OBS). At slaughter, 33 of the cases were classified as to the presence or absence of gross pulmonary lesions. Mean serum haptoglobin values at initial examination of new cases was 67 mg% +/- 108 (SD), with values ranging from 0 to 508 mg%. Haptoglobin levels at initial examination were not different between TRT and OBS calves, but at the final examination, TRT calves had lower (P<.01) mean levels. Within treatment groups, values did not differ between cases with different outcomes. Weak correlations of serum haptoglobin with arterial partial O2 (r=-.24, P<.10) and with arterial partial CO2 (r=.21, P=.10) were found. Cases which subsequently had gross pulmonary lesions present at slaughter had numerically higher, although statistically similar (P=.15), haptoglobin values at the initial examination than did cases without lesions. These data suggest that serum haptoglobin levels may be a good indicator of response to antibiotic therapy and the degree of compromise of pulmonary function, although they appear to be unrelated to the severity of the case or the need for therapy.

Technical Abstract: We measured serum haptoglobin levels in cases of clinical respiratory disease in feedlot cattle. Our objectives were to quantify serum haptoglobin response to bovine respiratory disease, and to investigate its ability to predict the outcome of the case, as well as the response to and need for antimicrobial therapy. The study population consisted of 60 feedlot calves with clinical respiratory disease during their first 65 days on feed. As cases were identified, they were randomly assigned to either receive a standard antibiotic treatment regimen (TRT), or to observation pens where they were monitored until it was determined they had either recovered or required treatment to recover (OBS). At slaughter, 33 of the cases were classified as to the presence or absence of gross pulmonary lesions. Mean serum haptoglobin values at initial examination of new cases was 67 mg% +/- 108 (SD), with values ranging from 0 to 508 mg%. Haptoglobin levels at initial examination were not different between TRT and OBS calves, but at the final examination, TRT calves had lower (P<.01) mean levels. Within treatment groups, values did not differ between cases with different outcomes. Weak correlations of serum haptoglobin with arterial partial O2 (r=-.24, P<.10) and with arterial partial CO2 (r=.21, P=.10) were found. Cases which subsequently had gross pulmonary lesions present at slaughter had numerically higher, although statistically similar (P=.15), haptoglobin values at the initial examination than did cases without lesions. These data suggest that serum haptoglobin levels may be a good indicator of response to antibiotic therapy and the degree of compromise of pulmonary function, although they appear to be unrelated to the severity of the case or the need for therapy.