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When producers implant cattle, they want results. They want the increased weight gain that can be achieved. But sometimes they don't get that extra weight gain because implants are improperly administered. A recent Kansas State University study shows that average daily gains were decreased 8.9% (3.18 vs. 2.92 pounds) and feed efficiency was lowered 8.5% (5.62 vs. 6.14 pounds of feed per pound of gain) by abscessed growth implants. This economic opportunity loss translated to $17.70 per head. How can producers change the situation and get the most from their implanting efforts? Simple. By properly implanting cattle using an easy, proven, three-step method called "scrape, brush and disinfect." In this method, an initial assessment of ear surface cleanliness is made. If the ear is clean and dry, the implant is administered. If the ear is wet and dirty or dry and dirty, then a dull steak knife is used to scrape foreign material from the ear and the ear is then brushed with a disinfectant solution and the implant administered. If the ear is wet but not dirty, then it is brushed with disinfectant solution and the implant given. The ideal brush to clean and disinfect the ears is two-sided and has brass bristles on one side and nylon bristles on the other side. The brass-bristled side is used first to brush the ear two or three times. The nylon-bristled side is then used for one stroke. In between uses, the brush should be placed in a small bucket with disinfectant solution. Employing the "scrape, brush and disinfect" method takes 3 to 5 seconds, and is an extremely worthwhile procedure. Because this procedure involves very little time, many cattle producers don't assess each individual ear. They simply scrape, brush and disinfect every ear to be implanted. Using the "scrape, brush and disinfect" method on every ear can lead to improved proper implant rates because wet ears are sometimes misjudged as clean, dry ears, and are not cleaned appropriately. As cattle are gathered and driven to a processing area, and as they are processed through cattle facilities, fecal material from other cattle can be deposited on various parts of an animal's body. This fecal material contains coliform bacteria - normal inhabitants of an animal's digestive tract, and it becomes a problem when injections are made through contaminated skin and hair. Implants, other pharmaceuticals and vaccines can be made partially, or totally, ineffective when bacteria are carried into the injection site by the needle. Logically, the larger the needle gauge, the more debris that can be carried into the injection site. The animal's body provides the perfect environment for opportunistic micro-organisms to grow and multiply. As a consequence of the microbial growth and subsequent infection, abscesses are formed and can result in the possible reduced efficacy of the animal health product administered - such as an implant. Because bacteria can be present on the ear, a disinfectant plays an important role in the "scrape, brush and disinfect" method. The chosen disinfectant must be safe and provide effective control against the major microorganisms that can cause growth implant abscesses. One example of an effective and safe disinfectant is Nolvasan(R), an EPA-approved chlorhexidine. Nol- vasan has a rapid bactericidal antiseptic action with sustained residual activity for as long as two days and has documented activity against at least 60 bacteria, fungus, yeasts and viruses. Disinfectant solutions should be mixed the day of use, and the disinfectant solution used for brushing ear surfaces and cleaning implant needles should be replaced as needed. When a disinfectant solution becomes significantly contaminated with organic matter from manure, it can become ineffective. Growth implant abscesses 
Growth implant abscesses are usually designated as slight, moderate or severe. The abscess is referred to as "complete" when the growth implant is expelled from the injection site. As expected, growth implant efficacy and return on investment decrease as abscess severity increases. Cattle having complete abscesses where all implant pellets are expelled from the injection site have similar performance to cattle not given an implant. Typically, with complete abscesses, the implant pellets are expelled within 3 to 5 days following implanting. The largest unknown is the decrease of growth implant efficacy that occurs when slight to moderate abscesses develop. This limits drug absorption by tissues surrounding the implant. Cattle personnel trained in growth implant evaluation should be able to consistently differentiate between properly placed non-abscessed implants and implants sites having severe to complete abscesses. However, depending on their level of training and expertise, some cattle personnel might not be able to differentiate between the non-abscessed sites and implant sites having slight to moderate abscesses. Training and emphasis on implanting properly has paid off. In 1987, a study showed that only 79.6% of 6,446 cattle implanted were implanted properly. After the Profit Improvement Program brought awareness to the cattle industry concerning the merit of proper implanting procedures, a 1994 study showed that 94.5% of 108,064 cattle evaluated were properly implanted. Similar studies in 1996 and 1997 showed overall industry rates again at 94% for more than 100,000 ears checked. The highest and most consistent proper implanting results were obtained by following good sanitation methods without antibiotic dusting. The "scrape, brush and disinfect" method appears to be the best approach and to provide the best results. The rate of proper implanting can approach 100% without exception. It's simply a matter of "doing things right." For additional information about proper implanting or for details about various studies cited in this article, contact Fort Dodge Animal Health at 1-800-477-1365. |
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