Researchers at Kansas State University have been awarded a $1.2 million research grant to study the optimal antimicrobial use for controlling Anaplasma marginale, the causative agent of bovine anaplasmosis. Kathryn Reif, assistant professor in the diagnostic medicine and pathobiology department at the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, said she and other researchers will determine the susceptibility of different strains of Anaplasma marginale to chlortetracycline. The project will look at three different chlortetracycline treatment protocols for cattle, with Reif and her colleagues providing practical recommendations for controlling the disease to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and, ultimately, cattle producers.
Anaplasma marginale strains recently have been isolated in Kansas cattle herds. Reif said ranchers across the state are concerned current FDA-approved anaplasmosis treatment regimens are not sufficiently controlling the disease.
“Efficacy concerns over the current anaplasmosis control measures underscore the need for updated science-based recommendations to help cattle producers manage this disease,” she said.
Reif and others on the research team will host an outreach event on anaplasmosis May 20 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan. Speakers, including a producer panel, will discuss strategies and best practices for managing anaplasmosis. To register or for more information, click here.