Last week, we discussed Bovine Congestive Heart Failure (BCHF) and how it is responsible for around a 7% death rate in the feedlots of the Midwest. Symptoms are similar to high-elevation disease (brisket disease) with a swollen brisket, right heart failure and eventually death.
Pulmonary Arterial Pressure (PAP) testing has been used to determine if cattle are susceptible to brisket disease. The test, however, is only useful if cattle are tested above 5000 feet elevation. Right-side heart pressure drops at lower elevation and is not a reliable indicator of heart failure. This is where the BCHF test comes in, which allows cattle to be tested at any elevation and at any age.
This sounds simple; BCHF should replace PAP testing to determine risk. Not so fast! PAP testing still has its place for high elevation use. PAP testing is like taking your blood pressure to identify risk. BCHF testing determines your genetic potential for risk of heart failure. While somewhat related, both test different things and both have their place.
PAP testing should still be used for high elevation cattle. This is a proven empirical test to assess risk. BCHF testing is helpful at high elevation as well to identify the genetic potential for risk in the offspring of the bulls you are using. Ideally, you want low risk in both tests.
If you are at low elevation, the BCHF test is the best indicator of the risk of heart failure. Overall, BCHF is a good predictor of the heart failure potential in feedlot cattle. This begs the questions, “Is it necessary to test my cattle if I’m not selling calves to a feedlot?” Stay tuned next week for more analysis on whether we should test for BCHF or not.