Therapeutic efficacy of marbofloxacin and ceftiofur in feedlot steers with bovine respiratory disease complex

Treatment of the bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) can elicit high bacterial resistance and stress to steers in a feedlot. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate three therapeutic protocols with long-acting antibiotics against BRDC naturally acquired in steers finished in feedlot. In a total of 80 animals finished in a feedlot, 18 steers showed clinical signs compatible with BRDC (mucopurulent nasal secretion, lung auscultation alteration, leukocytosis, and decrease of dry matter intake). These animals were randomly treated: marbofloxacin in a single dose (M1), marbofloxacin in two doses (M2), or ceftiofur in a single dose (C1) on Day 0. The clinical score of pneumonia, hemogram, daily food intake, and body weight were analyzed during 7 days. On slaughter day (Day 100), the body weight and frequency of lungs with pneumonia was evaluated. On Day 7, M2 showed absence of pneumonia, and M1 and C1 still showed a clinical score of mild pneumonia (P = 0.01). On day 2 and day 3 M2 showed a higher dry matter intake than others treatments (P = 0.05). C1 showed a lower body weight than others group on day 1 and 2 (P = 0.05). The C1 and M1 showed a higher pneumonia frequency than M2 (P = 0.02). The M2 slaughter weight was numerically higher than the other treatments. We conclude the marbofloxacin in two doses eliminated the pneumonia ́s clinical symptoms and allowed the animals to return the productivity earlier than other protocols.