Liver Abscesses in Beef-on-Dairy Cattle are Costing Packers Big Money

The beef-on-dairy phenomenon has seen explosive growth, especially as dairy producers look to diversify their operations and capitalize on high beef prices. However, no rose grows without a few thorns. And the thorn in the side of this new sector of the dairy industry has been the prolific amount of liver abscesses found in these crossbred cattle.

For dairy producers, this common health issue amongst beef-on-dairy animals does not necessarily have a big impact on their bottom line. But according to Dr. Blake Foraker, an assistant professor and meat scientist at Washington State University, this growing problem is costing packers two main things – time and money.

Time

“Liver abscesses are a big nuisance for packers because it really slows them down,” Foraker says. “In our beef-on-dairy population, we’re seeing liver abscess prevalence in 50% or more of animals. And this is holding up the production line.”

Carcasses with liver abscesses must have the organ removed manually by workers. Additionally, it must be inspected to see if the abscess has adhered to any other surrounding tissues. In turn, the extra time needed for the removal of tissue and further inspections adds up, slowing down the production line and potentially reducing the number of animals that can be processed through the facility each day.

“Time is of high importance to these packing plants,” Foraker says. “And liver abscesses, especially the severe cases, can cause a lot of rail-outs and cost packers a lot of additional time. So, this issue is something that they would really like to have resolved.”