Oromia Feedlot Health Management

Bureau of and Biosecurity Training

Agriculture
May,2023
 Part I: Feedlot
ØIntroduction,
ØOver view of feedlot operation,
Part II : Feedlot Health management Practices,

Outline ØOperations at holding ground,

ØGuidelines for operations at feedlot site,
Part III: Feedlot biosecurity
ØWhat is Biosecurity ?
ØBiosecurity and its importance.
What is beef feedlot ?

A beef feedlot is a confined yard area with watering and

feeding facilities where cattle are held and completely
hand or mechanically fed for the purpose of production.

This includes any adjoining or nearby area where such

cattle are tended, loaded and unloaded.

The production principle of an intensive fattening

operation is therefore optimizing of production factors
and minimizing costs
Success Depends on ?

Excellent management

A favorable economic
climate

Relative freedom from

unfortunate events such
as disease epidemics.
The objective of this guideline is
to assist feedlots to:

Prevent the introduction of diseases,

Control infectious diseases and
Prevent diseases caused by management
and feeding errors during the fattening
cycles.
Livestock handling Handlers should understand the behavior and
instincts of the animals so they can intuitively
predict animal behavior and thus reduce stress
on them.

The behavior of individual animals or groups

of animals will vary, depending on their breed,
sex, temperament and age and the way in
which they have been reared and handled.

Animal handlers should be experienced and

competent in handling and moving farm
livestock, and understand the behavior patterns
of animals and the underlying principles
necessary to carry out their tasks.
 Never beat animals with a stick, rods, pipe, whip or stone, and
Principles for livestock handling avoid painful procedures such as tail twisting.

Never throw or drop or drag animals by body parts such as their

tail, head, horns, ears, limbs,

Animals should have adequate access to feed and water

Stock pens and other enclosures used for feeding, watering, and
resting should have sufficient space for all animals to lie down
at the same time.
Prior to moving animals, inspect the fences, pens, and working
facility to ensure proper care and ease of handling.

Handle animals gently and humanely at all times to avoid injury

or extra stress.
 Keep animals calm in the crowd areas, so that they will
be calm coming into the facility

Refrain from yelling, screaming, or making sudden

movements near animals
Principles for
livestock
Animal handling staffs should be trained on importance
handling and methods of implementing humane handling
practices for animals

Maintain a clean and dry environment and ensure

sufficient ventilation to minimize exposure of animals
to dust and toxic gasses e.g. ammonia
 Animals are to be sourced from low disease risk
areas

To ensure safe
livestock and
livestock products Purchased animals are segregated for few day in
trade identified holding areas.

Animals are moved to feedlot facilities for high

level care and finishing from which they will be
sent to main quarantine stations for final health
inspection and certification for export.
Sourcing feedlot animals

To minimize the risk of disease introduction in to the feedlot

facilities, identification of purchase areas and conducting
pre-purchase inspection of animals are two of the most
important animal health measures that should be applied
before purchasing is done.

These activities are to be carried out primarily by the private

veterinarian in charge of feedlot animal health services.
 Identify livestock purchase areas
List down List down the administrative areas from which the operator is interested to source animals

Find out and map the seasonal livestock movement pattern of the identified potential
Find out and map livestock source areas

Find out livestock trade routes and major livestock markets found in the identified
Find out administrative units that are accessible for livestock purchase

Maintain regular contact with public and private veterinarians working in each one of the
Maintain designated purchases woreda and zone animal health services for presence of disease
outbreaks

Review the disease outbreak data by the type of disease reported and analyze its potential
Review level of risk for disease dissemination in to the feedlot

Make Make decision which areas to avoid for livestock purchase and for how long
Pre-purchase inspection of
animals
Pre-purchase inspection will serve to identify and reject non-
compliant animals from purchasing and moving them into
holding grounds.

Pre-purchase inspection will be carried out by an animal health personnel

representing the feedlot operator under a close supervision and guidance
of the feedlot veterinarian.

Pre-purchase inspection involves visual and physical evaluation of the

animal to identify any conditions that may indicate disease or any
physical abnormalities that may compromise their weight gain
performances.
 Signs of healthy animals
They have good body They are well muscled
condition and have a and the ribs and pelvic The have clear, bright The muzzle is slightly
shiny appearance of bones are not and moist eyes moist and cool.
their hair coats prominent

The mucous membrane They walk in balanced

The have a smooth and
around the conjunctiva rhythms with the head When standing, the
flexible skin free of
and inside the mouth is swaying or nodding animal is comfortable
any lumps, loose scabs,
pink in colour, smooth slightly in time with on all four feet
flakes or debris
and it glistens the animal’s movement
 In general, the signs of a
Major signs disease or disease condition
of disease are grouped into the following Body
broad categories, namely, movement,

Body Signs on the

condition body’s surface
 Lameness or limping

Stiffness and pain

The animal may appear extremely nervous or restless,

Abnormal body excessively anxious or upset, or stagger or circle
movement
Animals may have muscle tremors or shivering, hold
their head to one side, or have any number of abnormal
gaits
Animals may strain and assume abnormal body positions
such as straining, arching of the back, tucking in of the
abdomen, and extending the neck and tail
 PART II:
FEEDLOT
HEALTH
MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES
 Operations at holding ground

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Assemble Provide Inspect animals Provide necessary Use standard

animals Provide sufficient fed Record all animal
identifications for for signs of treatment to animals livestock
purchased from and water to animals health interventions
those animals that disease and such as treatment for transport trucks
nearby markets and keep records
were not identified isolate them if internal and external and transport the
before found affected parasites animals to the
feedlot facilities
 Guidelines for operations at feedlot
site

Feedlot is the final stage along the chain of activities conducted to produce healthy and well-
conditioned slaughter animals that satisfy international trade and consumer requirements.

Although basic animal health care and disease prevention activities are to be conducted during the
initial stages of the feedlot operation starting from identification of purchase areas, prep-purchase
inspection and vaccination and treatments at holding grounds, the mere confinement of large
number of animals in a relatively small area by itself demands implementation of a well-planned
disease prevention and control interventions even at this final stage of the feedlot operation.
 ROLE AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
 Role of feedlot operators

Identify and work Recruit Provide Ensure

Identify and work with a Recruit the necessary Provide all required Ensure availability of
private veterinarian that human resource and get working apparel, sufficient clean water and
can provide overall them properly trained on equipment, drugs and feed materials before
guidance and professional basic animal health, other required inputs that introducing cattle
assistance for animal feeding, welfare, and are to be used for
health and improved sanitation issues execution of feedlot
husbandry practices activities
 Role feedlot employees

Unload Weigh Provide Inspect Monitor Monitor Report

Unload the Upon entry to Provide feed Inspect Monitor the Monitor the Any disease
animals at the feedlot, and clean regularly all feed feed incident
appropriately weigh each water to the areas of the consumption consumption immediately
constructed one of the animals feedlot and weight and weight to the
and animals particularly gain patterns gain patterns veterinarian in
designated the delivery on a regular on a regular charge and
unloading of feed and basis and basis and seek his
area water, record for record for professional
further further guidance
analysis analysis
 Role of private feedlot veterinarian

Ass
• Assist the feedlot operator.
ist

• Maintain close contact with veterinary personnel of identified livestock source areas and
Ma
int collect information on livestock disease status of the areas.
ain

An • Regularly analyze disease information data.

aly
ze

• Provide technical guidance on humane handling of purchased animals during loading,

Pro
vid transporting and unloading of purchase animals.
e

• Train feedlot personnel in areas of basic animal health care, feeding, sanitation, welfare and
Tra
in
bio-security issues on a regular basis and monitor their competency.
 SPECIFIC
ACTIVITIES
Training The Federal Veterinary Services Should
Periodically Assess The Needs Of Feedlot
Stakeholders And Provide The Necessary
Training For Their Employees
 Maintaining the hygiene and safety of all facilities through
application of regular cleaning and sanitary procedures

Reduce contact between healthy animals and potentially

infected animals through timely isolation and treatment

Take all appropriate measures to prevent contamination by

vehicles entering and traversing the feedlot
Hygiene and disease
prevention Minimizing contact between livestock and visitors

Ensuring availability of balanced feed rations and clean

water supply to livestock

Owners or managers of feedlots should use chemical

disinfectants (for tyre and foot baths)
 Feeding and watering related:-
Acquire feed materials from reliable sources and areas

Manage the feed supply chain in such a way as to protect feed

Owners or managers from contamination with biological, chemical, and physical
hazards and minimize deterioration
of feedlots should:
Ensure that water of acceptable quality for animal
consumption is used for watering stock

Keep records of all feed types purchased and dates of acquisition

and feeding

Self-mixed feeds should have their ingredients and mixes

recorded, as well as dates of feeding and animals fed as
specified above
 Infectious diseases: Feedlot livestock are vulnerable to a range of
infectious diseases.

Nutritional diseases: All ruminants, when confined and fed, have

special dietary requirements that must be observed to maintain good
rumen function – this ensures good animal health and maximizes
production

Diseases to focus in Acidosis: Acidosis occurs in ruminants when they are introduced to grain
too quickly or changed from one grain to another
feedlots
Feedlot bloat: Bloat can occur for several reasons in feedlots, but is
usually associated with a nutritional imbalance, such as too much high-
quality alfalfa hay, or as a result of acidosis

Lameness and foot rot: Lameness and foot rot can be a problem if the
feet of feedlot animals are damaged.
 Treatment protocols:
The veterinarian must specify procedures for the
clinical management of sick cattle and provide a
standard protocol that outlines specific treatments for
disease syndromes, including drug dosages, treatment
intervals, routes of administration, and withdrawal
Use of times.
veterinary drugs
and vaccines in Use of antibiotics: Antibiotics are used in cattle production
the feedlot to treat disease.
• Use on those antibiotics that the Veterinary Drugs and Feeds
Administration and Control Authority has approved for their use in the
country.
• Follow the manufacturers instruction to determine the withdrawal time.
• Avoid inappropriate or excessive use of antibiotics use unless their use is
justified.
 Regular surveillance by the feedlot animal health
personnel in charge of animal health is crucial for good
health management of feedlot operations.

Feedlot The frequency of regular visits by the feedlot veterinarian

may vary from depending on the nature and prevalence
disease of diseases and disease conditions encountered, size of
the lot, the management capabilities, the type of cattle

surveillance feed etc.

The feedlot veterinarian should be in charge of ensuring

training and supervision of feedlot employees on methods
and importance of regular inspection, detection,
isolation, care provision and reporting of sick animals.
 Animals standing in isolation

Rapid respiratory rate, coughing and nasal discharge

Animals not coming up to the feed bunk and appearing empty

Reluctance to rise or move, walking slowly

Surveillance Appear to be lame or have other abnormal gait, such as knuckling of the fetlocks or dragging of
the toes

methods Crusted muzzle, nasal discharge, sunken eyes

Rough, dry-looking hair coat

Diarrhea with or without blood in the feces

Straining to urinate with grunting and tail switching

Drooped head and ears with an arched back and others

Feedlot records should include:-

All animal All animal arrivals, including Changes to feeding Origin and use of all
populations on the their identification marks or or health regimes, feeds, drugs,
feedlot. devices , origin and date of and any other disinfectants,
arrival, to ensure that management herbicides and other
incoming animals are changes that may consumable items
traceable to their sources. occur used in the feedlot
 Remove manure frequently

Maintain stocking density within

Dust allowable limits, which has the effect of
maintaining the pad in a moister state
control Application of water
•