Evaluating Natural Approaches to Liver Abscess Management in Feedlot Cattle

New Insights on Probiotics from a Large-Scale Trial

The beef industry continues to evolve alongside shifting consumer expectations and a growing focus on responsible antibiotic use. While challenges like liver abscesses remain common in feedlots, they also present opportunities for innovation through practical, science-based solutions. Liver abscesses, often without obvious clinical signs, can significantly affect cattle performance and carcass value. Commercial beef cattle breeds have shown liver abscess incidence of approximately 15% to 20%, whereas dairy breeds have shown greater incidence (between 25 to 30%). In-feed antibiotics like tylosin have traditionally been relied upon for control, but interest in non-antibiotic options is rising.

A recent large-scale commercial trial in Montezuma, Kansas, evaluated a probiotic-based approach for managing liver abscess risk, offering timely insights for producers exploring alternative strategies.

Study Overview: Focused on Beef-on-Dairy Heifers
The trial involved 2,088 beef-on-dairy (BOD) crossbred heifers, a population known for an increased risk of liver abscesses in high-concentrate finishing systems. The study was designed to compare liver abscess incidence, performance, and carcass characteristics across three treatment groups: no feed-grade antimicrobials (control), LEVUCELL® SC (Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077) + calcium clinoptilolite zeolite, and tylosin phosphate (68 mg/head/day). Cattle were fed for an average of 228 days, and data were collected at harvest on liver abscess rates, dry matter intake (DMI), gain-to-feed ratio (G:F), final weight, average daily gain (ADG), and carcass outcomes.

Key Findings
1️ Liver Abscess Incidence: The most notable result was a significant reduction in total liver abscess rates in cattle receiving the LEVUCELL SC and zeolite treatment compared to those fed tylosin (35.44% vs. 44.88%, P = 0.02). This suggests that non-antimicrobial options may have a meaningful role in liver health management for feedlot cattle, particularly in high-risk populations like BOD heifers.

2️ Growth Performance: There were no significant differences in final body weight or average daily gain between the control and yeast-fed groups, indicating that cattle performance was maintained without relying on feed-grade antibiotics.

3️ Feed Efficiency and Intake: Tylosin-fed cattle showed improved gain-to-feed ratio compared to other groups, as expected from previous research. However, LEVUCELL SC-fed cattle performed similarly to controls, with no negative effects on feed efficiency or intake behavior.

What This Means for Producers
This trial provides encouraging evidence for feedlot managers exploring ways to reduce reliance on medically important antibiotics without sacrificing cattle performance. While tylosin remains effective for liver abscess management, the study demonstrates that natural, microbial-based feed additives combined with digestive health supports can lower liver abscess rates in high-risk cattle populations.

Moreover, the ability to maintain animal performance metrics — including weight gain and feed intake — without antimicrobials is an important consideration as both market demands and regulatory frameworks around antibiotic use continue to evolve.

This trial also adds to the growing research base suggesting that improving rumen stability and mitigating risk factors for Sub-Acute Ruminal Acidosis (SARA) can have a downstream effect on liver abscess development.

Key Takeaways

Reference:
Theurer, M., et al. Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-1077 and calcium clinoptilolite zeolite compared with tylosin phosphate and negative control on health, performance, carcass outcomes, and liver abscesses of dairy-beef cross feedlot cattle. Applied Animal Science. 2024;40(3):317-328.

Interested in learning more about how LEVUCELL SC can support your feedlot cattle? Contact our team or visit our product page to get started.