Field results from Whisper® stethoscope studies

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Health
• Feedlot Management

Background:

• Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) diagnosis in feedlots lacks effective chute-side tools.
• Poor correlation exists between lung lesions at harvest and treatment history.
• Current diagnostic methods for BRD are insufficient for accurate case definition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the effectiveness of current diagnostic tools for BRD in feedlot cattle.
• To compare the accuracy of rectal temperature, manual lung scores, and Whisper® lung scores.
• To improve BRD case definition and risk assessment in feedlot settings.

Main Methods:

• Collected two datasets to evaluate diagnostic tool effectiveness.
• Assessed correlation between rectal temperature, manual lung scores, and case fatality rate.
• Compared the relative accuracy of Whisper® scores and rectal temperature for BRD prediction.

Main Results:

• Manual lung scores showed better correlation with case fatality than fever (rectal temperature ≥104.5° F).
• Whisper® scores of 1 or less better predicted survival than a temperature below 104.5° F.
• The combination of no fever and a Whisper® score of 1 or less best predicted survival.

Conclusions:

• Integrating Whisper® scores with rectal temperature enhances BRD case definition in feedlot cattle.
• Improved diagnostic accuracy leads to better risk assessment and targeted antibiotic application.
• This approach can optimize treatment strategies and improve animal health outcomes in feedlots.