TEST OVERVIEW & PAP INFORMATION
The High Altitude Bull Test is a breeder-financed test that strives to evaluate and improve the quality of beef cattle. This year’s test had 97 bulls enrolled from 12 consignors, with 72 bulls making it through the initial screening phase to complete the feed efficiency portion of the test, and 57 are consigned for sale on March 21st. Bulls were evaluated based on risk for development of pulmonary hypertension (brisket disease) associated with pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), feed efficiency data, growth performance, carcass ultrasound characteristics, and reproductive soundness criteria. How have bulls been handled?
Bulls arrived in November and were managed as a large group in a pasture setting and transitioned onto a grower ration to achieve moderate gain (2-2.5 lb/d) for a 45-day screening period designed to assess each bull’s risk for pulmonary hypertension (brisket disease) and propensity for adequate growth for successful completion of the test. At the conclusion of the 45-day period, an initial PAP test was completed, and bulls with a PAP greater than 60 mmHg were removed from the test. At completion of the screening period, bulls were transitioned to the LREC feedlot, where they were acclimated to an individual intake feed system to collect daily individual feed intake data used to evaluate and generate growth performance and feed efficiency metrics, described in detail in the feed efficiency section in the catalog (page 9). Bulls also underwent a final PAP test to further evaluate risk for pulmonary hypertension, carcass ultrasound evaluation, and a complete breeding soundness exam. PULMONARY ARTERIAL PRESSURE (PAP) INFORMATION PAP Risk Factor Very High Elevation Test Chart PAP test conducted at elevation >7000 ft.
Use at Low Elevation (<4000 feet)
Use at Moderate Elevation (4000-5000 feet)
Use at High Elevation (5500- 7500 feet)
Use at Extreme Elevation (>7500 feet)
PAP Score
34-45 46-49
Low Risk
Low Risk
Low Risk
Low Risk
Moderate Risk Moderate Risk
Moderate Risk Moderate Risk
Moderate Risk
Moderate Risk
> 50 High Risk • When selecting an animal based on a PAP measurement, other factors besides those listed above should be considered such as genetics or pedigree, PAP EPD, Systolic/Diastolic pressures, breed, and previous illness. • Special consideration should be given to the amount of time the animal was exposed to elevation (>5500 ft.) prior to testing. The predictability and repeatability of the PAP measurement improves with longer exposure to higher elevation (minimum of 4 weeks is required). • This chart is based on animals greater than 10 months of age. Testing older animals (>12 months) results in a measurement with higher predictability and repeatability. • Testing of younger animals (<12 months) may result in a greater variability to the predictive and repeatability measurement. Definitions: High Risk • Repeatable or Repeatability percent - this is a term used to give strength to a given PAP score predicting that if a retest PAP was carried out later in life then the score would be close to or within the same category as the original. For example; a PAP measurement taken below 4000 feet only has a 40% repeatable percent meaning that a repeat test only has a 40% chance of staying within the same risk category as the original test. • Predictive Value - this term is closely related to repeatability percent but specifically says that the original score can accurately predict what that animal will retest in a higher elevation. • Risk - Defined as the likelihood of an animal developing pulmonary hypertension themselves or being at risk for having a genetic predisposition for the disease.
8 THE 4TH ANNUAL UNIV. OF WYOMING HIGH ALTITUDE BULL SALE
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