Causas de mortalidad y tasas de tratamiento en un feedlot comercial del noroeste de Argentina

Juan Francisco Micheloud; Rodrigo Nicolás García Prieto; F. Peroné; U. Bernacki; J. Sarmiento; J.I. Igusquiza; Marcelo Signorini

doi:10.30972/vet.3719104

Authors

Juan Francisco Micheloud Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (CIAP), Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido (IIACS), Área de Salud Animal “Dr. Bernardo J. Carrillo”, Ruta Nacional 68 Km 172 (A4403), Cerrillos, Salta, Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Rivadavia 941 (A4400), Salta, Argentina. Universidad Católica de Salta, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias, Campo Castañares S/N, Salta, Argentina. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8709-895X
Rodrigo Nicolás García Prieto Estancia La Galesa; RN34 km 835 el fisco viejo, Santiago del Estero https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5466-5057
F. Peroné Estancia La Galesa; RN34 km 835 el fisco viejo, Santiago del Estero
U. Bernacki Estancia La Galesa; RN34 km 835 el fisco viejo, Santiago del Estero
J. Sarmiento Estancia La Galesa; RN34 km 835 el fisco viejo, Santiago del Estero
J.I. Igusquiza Estancia La Galesa; RN34 km 835 el fisco viejo, Santiago del Estero
Marcelo Signorini Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (INTA-CONICET), Ruta 34 Km 227, Rafaela (2300), Santa Fe, Argentina. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6537-8782

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30972/vet.3719104

Keywords:

Beef cattle, animal health, intensive systems, epidemiology

Abstract

The intensification of cattle finishing systems in Argentina has increased productivity but has also introduced new health challenges. This study analyzed mortality and treatment patterns in a commercial feedlot in northwestern Argentina during 2022. A total of 426 necropsies were performed, corresponding to an annual mortality rate of 1.67%, and 2,463 therapeutic treatments were recorded. The main causes of death were non adaptation syndrome (17.8%), respiratory diseases (16.4%), anemia-inducing diseases such as anaplasmosis and babesiosis (11.7%), digestive disorders (10.7%), traumatic injuries (8.9%), localized inflammatory processes (8.9%), neurological disorders (8.9%), genitourinary disorders (4.9%), and heat stress (4.9%). Mortality was significantly associated with season (p<0.001), with higher rates observed during winter and summer. Most deaths (80%) occurred in purchased cattle weighing less than 180 kg at entry; these animals were seven times more likely to die than farm-born cattle. Respiratory disease was the leading cause of treatment (1.51%), followed by babesiosis (0.43%) and digestive disorders (0.46%), both showing marked seasonal patterns. Necropsy findings frequently included fibrinous or suppurative pneumonia, acute rumenitis, bloat, peritonitis, pericarditis, and polioencephalomalacia. These results highlight the multifactorial nature of mortality in feedlot cattle and emphasize the need for preventive strategies adapted to local conditions, focusing on stress reduction, nutritional management, and improved biosecurity to mitigate respiratory and hemolytic diseases.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Amachawadi RG, Nagaraja TG. Liver abscesses in cattle: A review of incidence in Holsteins and of bacteriology and vaccine approaches to control in feedlot cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 2016; 94: 1620-1632.

2. Arelovich HM, Bravo RD, Martínez MF. Development, characteristics, and trends for beef cattle production in Argentina. Anim Front. 2011; 1:37-45.

3. Blackshaw JK, Blackshaw AW, McGlone JJ. Buller steer syndrome review. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 1997; 54: 97-108.

4. Cantón G, Llada I, Margineda C, Urtizbiría F, Fanti S, Scioli V, Fiorentino MA, Louge Uriarte E, Morrell E, Sticotti E, Tamiozzo P. Mycoplasma bovis-pneumonia and polyarthritis in feedlot calves in Argentina: First local isolation. Rev Argent Microbiol. 2022; 54: 299-304.

5. Costa EF, Giuliodori MJ, Dezzilio M, Romero JR. Mortalidad en un feedlot de La Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina): causas, distribución mensual e impacto económico. Anal Vet. 2003; 23: 13-19.

6. Di Rienzo JA, Casanoves F, Balzarini MG, Gonzalez L, Tablada M, Robledo CW. InfoStat, versión 2008, Grupo InfoStat, FCA. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina. 2008.

7. Earley B, Sporer KB, Gupta S. Relationship between cattle transport, immunity and respiratory disease. Animal. 2017; 11: 486-492.

8. Estima-Silva P, Oliveira PA, Bruhn FRP, Scheid HV, Marques LS, Ribeiro LS, Schild AL. Causes of death of beef cattle raised in feedlots. Pesq Vet Bras. 2020; 40: 333-339.

9. Fakhruddin F, Tanwar RK, Gauri AA. Polioencephalomalacia (cerebrocortical necrosis) in domestic animals – A review. CAB Rev Perspect Agric Vet Sci Nutr Nat Resour. 2001; 1(054).

10. Fecteau G. Management of peritonitis in cattle. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2005; 21: 155-171.

11. Fernández M, Ferreras MDC, Giráldez FJ, Benavides J, Pérez V. Production significance of bovine respiratory disease lesions in slaughtered beef cattle. Animals. 2020; 10: 1770.

12. Fulton RW, Blood KS, Panciera RJ, Payton ME, Ridpath JF, Confer AW, Saliki JT, Burge LT, Welsh RD, Johnson B, Reck A. Lung pathology and infectious agents in fatal feedlot pneumonias and relationship with mortality, disease onset, and treatments. J Vet Diagn Invest. 2009; 21: 464-477.

13. Guglielmone AA. Epidemiology of babesiosis and anaplasmosis in South and Central America. Vet Parasitol. 1995; 57: 109-119.

14. Hernández J, Benedito JL, Abuelo A, Castillo C. Ruminal acidosis in feedlot: from aetiology to prevention. Sci World J. 2014; 2014: 702572.

15. Konradt G, Bassuino DM, Prates KS, Bianchi MV, Snel GG, Sonne L, Driemeier D, Pavarini SP. Suppurative infectious diseases of the central nervous system in domestic ruminants. Pesqui Vet Bras. 2017; 37: 820-828.

16. Laguzzi J, Caffaratti J, Masciangelo W, Sívori N. Mortality analysis in a feedlot according to origin and cause. XVI Technical-Scientific Dissemination Conference – Latin American Conference of the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, UNR. Casilda, Santa Fe, Argentina; 2015.

17. Lamego EC, Santos IR, Paz MC, Barbosa FM, Sonne L, Panziera W, Driemeier D, Pavarini SP. Pathology of peritonitis in cattle. J Comp Pathol. 2025; 217: 16-24.

18. Macedo GG, de Oliveira Ferreira LV, Chiacchio SB. An overview of traumatic reticulopericarditis in cattle and buffaloes. Buffalo Bull. 2021; 40(2): 213-225.

19. Makhdoomi DM, Gazi MA. Obstructive urolithiasis in ruminants – A review. Vet World. 2013; 6: 233-238.

20. Mao J, Wang L. Rumen acidosis in ruminants: a review of the effects of high-concentrate diets and the potential modulatory role of rumen foam. Front Vet Sci. 2025; 12: 1595615.

21. Margineda CA, Zielinski GO, Jurado SB, Ferrella A, Mozgovoj M, Alcaraz AC, López A. Mycoplasma bovis pneumonia in feedlot cattle and dairy calves in Argentina. Braz J Vet Pathol. 2017; 10: 79-86.

22. Mazzucco Panizza M, Morel N, Wilkowsky, Primo ME, Olmos LH, Pertile CN, Sarmiento NF, Rossner MV, Abdala AA, Canton G, Ganzinelli S, Thompson BCS; Guillemi EC, Nava, S. Manual para el abordaje diagnóstico de la babesiosis y anaplasmosis bovina en Argentina. Estudios Agropecuarios. 2024; 1: 1-15. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Available from: https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/handle/11336/263398. Accessed (19/12/2025).

23. Miranda AO, Zielinski GC, Rossanigo CE. Sanidad en el feedlot. Publicación Técnica N° 96. INTA Ediciones; 2013.

24. Nagaraja TG, Lechtenberg KF. Acidosis in feedlot cattle. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2007; 23: 333-350.

25. O’Toole D, Sondgeroth KS. Histophilosis as a natural disease. In: Histophilus somni: biology, molecular basis of pathogenesis, and host immunity. Springer, Cham; 2016. p. 15-48.

26. Odeón MM, Romera SA. Estrés en ganado: causas y consecuencias. Rev vet. 2017; 28: 69-77.

27. Rodríguez I, Noda ÁA, Fuentes O, Echevarria E, Espinosa Y. Infecciones transmitidas por garrapatas en Cuba: una alerta basada en evidencias científicas. Anales ACC. 2021; 11: 1-9.

28. Sánchez S, Clark EG, Wobeser GA, Janzen ED, Philibert H. A retrospective study of non-suppurative encephalitis in beef cattle from western Canada. Can Vet J. 2013; 54: 1127.

29. Sant'Ana FJ, Rissi DR, Lucena RBD, Lemos RA, Nogueira APA, Barros CS. Polioencefalomalacia em bovinos: epidemiologia, sinais clínicos e distribuição das lesões no encéfalo. Pesqui Vet Bras. 2009; 29: 487-497.

30. Silva TF, Alves-Sobrinho AV, de Lima LFS, Ziemniczak HM, Ferraz HT, Lopes DT, Braga ÍA, Saturnino KC, de Souza Ramos DG. Tristeza parasitária bovina: Revisão. Res Soc Dev. 2021; 10: e15410111631-e15410111631.

31. Steele MA, Vandervoort G, AlZahal O, Hook SE, Matthews JC, McBride BW. Rumen epithelial adaptation to high-grain diets involves the coordinated regulation of genes involved in cholesterol homeostasis. Physiol Genomics. 2011; 43: 308-316.

32. Streitenberger N, Ramiro R, Navarro MA, Asin J, Henderson E, Gonzales-Viera O, Mete A, Torii EH, Uzal FA. Pathology of ruminal acidosis in cattle. Vet Pathol. 2025; 03009858251339889.

33. Sueldo P. Estrés térmico en Feedlot. Un enemigo recurrente años tras año. Producir XXI. 2020. Available from: https://producirxxi.com.ar/producirxxi/estres-termico-en-feedlot-un-enemigo-recurrente-anos-tras-ano/?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 19/12/25.

34. Taylor LF, Booker CW, Jim GK, Guichon PT. Epidemiological investigation of the buller steer syndrome (riding behaviour) in a western Canadian feedlot. Aust Vet J. 1997; 75: 45-51.

35. Videla R, van Amstel S. Urolithiasis. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2016; 32: 687-700.

36. Yohannes G, Tesfay S. Review on surgical managements of urolithiasis in ruminants. Mathews J Surg. 2024; 7(1): 1-9.

37. Zhang L, Capik SF, Kegley B, Richeson JT, Powell JG, Zhao J. Bovine respiratory microbiota of feedlot cattle and its association with health and disease. Vet Res. 2021; 52: 1-15.