Trends in Veterinary Drug Residues in US Cattle: Analysing USDA Sampling Data

Cattle production is the leading agricultural industry in the United States, accounting for the largest portion of total cash receipts for agricultural commodities. The administration of veterinary drugs in food-producing animals can lead to the presence of drug residues in food products.

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate US national residue monitoring data to identify the most frequently detected veterinary drugs across various cattle types including dairy cows, beef cows, calves, heifers, and other types. Veterinary drug residue sampling reports and datasets for the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 were evaluated using descriptive statistical analysis to rank the most frequently detected drug residues in cattle.

A total of 3391 positive veterinary drug residue samples (including both violative and non-violative residues) were detected across all food animal species for the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 with cattle samples having the majority of positive detections (3107 samples; 92%). Across all three years, dairy cows accounted for the highest number of residue detections (1264), including both violative and non-violative detections, compared with other cattle types, beef cows (505), bob veal (449), steers (384), and heifers (263). A Pearson's Chi-squared test indicated that the distribution of residue detections varied among cattle types (χ² = 390.73, df = 11, p-value < 0.0001). Among the violative residues, desfuroylceftiofur was the most frequently detected analyte (351 detections), followed by penicillin (161), flunixin (122), sulfadimethoxine (94), and sulfamethazine (79).

This study highlights consistent patterns in veterinary drug residue detections in cattle from 2021 to 2023 revealing major issues in residue control and compliance. These findings underscore the importance of addressing the persistent presence of certain veterinary drugs in cattle products, support the continued role of targeted residue monitoring programs, and inform future evaluations of drug use and surveillance priorities.