Comparison of a novel bovine respiratory disease prediction technology and an automated animal disease detection technology to traditional methods in a U.S. feedlot.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate feedlot cattle health and performance among three different bovine respiratory disease (BRD) control programs and two different disease detection modalities (i.e., a 3 × 2 factorial design). The BRD control treatments consisted of 1) Negative control, 2) Positive control (Tildipirosin to 100% of the group), and 3) Targeted BRD control program (TBCP) based on individualized risk prediction generated by a novel technology ([Whisper On Arrival; Merck Animal Health] ± Tildipirosin based on a proprietary algorithm). The disease detection treatments consisted of 1) cattle monitored exclusively by a novel animal disease detection (ADD) technology (SenseHub Feedlot; Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates), or 2) cattle monitored by traditional pen-riding (PR) methods. Auction market-derived beef calves were procured by traditional means, transported to a single site, and randomly allocated to one of six treatment groups within each block. The study population was followed to closeout (224 d). Data were analyzed as a completely randomized block design within a 3 × 2 factorial treatment format. No interactions (