CIPARS research tracks antimicrobial use and resistance trends to support cattle health and responsible stewardship.
Canadian Surveillance Program Tracks Antimicrobial Resistance in Feedlot Cattle
Research helps inform responsible antimicrobial stewardship and cattle health management
Canada's beef industry continues to strengthen its understanding of antimicrobial use and resistance in feedlot cattle through a national surveillance initiative led by the Public Health Agency of Canada's Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS).
While CIPARS has monitored antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in cattle arriving at packing plants and in retail beef products since the mid-2000s, surveillance of antimicrobial use (AMU) and resistance in feedlot cattle began in 2019. The program provides valuable information that can help veterinarians and producers make informed decisions about animal health treatments while supporting efforts to preserve the effectiveness of important antimicrobial drugs.
The initiative was developed to address a gap in understanding resistance patterns among bacteria associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD), one of the most significant health challenges facing feedlot cattle.
Although CIPARS was originally established with a focus on public health, much of its surveillance work has concentrated on bacteria commonly found in the intestinal tracts of both livestock and humans, including E. coli, Campylobacter, and Enterococcus. Feedlot operators, however, often rely on antimicrobials to treat veterinary pathogens responsible for cattle illnesses, particularly those linked to respiratory disease.
Researchers say understanding trends in antimicrobial resistance among BRD-associated bacteria is essential for maintaining effective treatment options and supporting responsible antimicrobial stewardship across the beef sector.
Three Key Objectives
The surveillance program was designed with three primary goals:
- Provide representative national estimates of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance within Canada's finishing feedlot sector.
- Monitor resistance and use patterns over time and evaluate how they change alongside veterinary practices.
- Assess potential risks that antimicrobial use in feedlots may pose to the effectiveness of antimicrobials used in both animal and human health.
How the Research Was Conducted
Participating feedlots were recruited through veterinary clinics according to established selection criteria and sampling requirements. To ensure confidentiality, each enrolled feedlot was assigned a unique identification code that allowed researchers to connect submitted data and samples without revealing the operation's identity.
As part of the bovine respiratory disease component of the project, researchers collected deep nasopharyngeal swab samples from 16 animals in each participating feedlot during entry processing. Additional samples were collected when cattle were re-handled later in the feeding period.
Researchers sampled cattle from the same pen at both collection points, although not necessarily the same individual animals.
Samples were shipped to Prairie Diagnostic Services in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where laboratory specialists cultured and identified three bacterial species commonly associated with bovine respiratory disease:
- Mannheimia haemolytica
- Pasteurella multocida
- Histophilus somni
The bacterial isolates were then tested against a standard panel of antimicrobial drugs to measure resistance levels and identify emerging trends.
Importance for Producers
Bovine respiratory disease remains one of the most costly and challenging health issues in the feedlot sector. Surveillance programs such as CIPARS help the industry monitor changes in resistance patterns, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and support evidence-based decision making.
The data collected can assist veterinarians and feedlot managers in refining health protocols, improving antimicrobial stewardship practices, and ensuring antimicrobial treatments remain effective when cattle require them.
As antimicrobial resistance continues to attract attention from both animal health and public health sectors, ongoing monitoring will play an increasingly important role in maintaining cattle health, supporting beef production efficiency, and protecting the effectiveness of critical veterinary medicines.