E10: Feedlot Health with Dr Dan Thomson

Welcome to the 10th episode of The Future of Beef Show: Feedyard Health with Dr. Dan Thomson.



From the feedlot pen to the packer line, every decision made around cattle health ripples through performance, profitability, and public trust. In this foundational episode, Dr. Dan Thomson—a PhD nutritionist, DVM, and managing partner at PAC—joins Jim Johnson, Dr. Jessica Sperber, and Ian Wheal to map the entire lifecycle of animal health and welfare in modern beef systems.



With decades of feedlot consultation experience and influence on industry standards from McDonald’s to Cactus Feeders, Dr. Dan shares what it really takes to build a connected, resilient health system: early data capture, strong veterinary relationships, consistent animal handling, and a shift from reactive treatments to proactive management. From vaccine timing and calf colostrum to labor shortages and AI-driven health tags, this episode connects dots across cow-calf, backgrounding, and feedyard stages in ways few others can.



What You’ll Learn:

How feedyards can reduce death loss with early detection and low-tech fixes

Why trust and acclimation are essential to spotting disease before it’s too late

The truth about antibiotic stewardship—and how to manage use without sacrificing care

How technology (from wearable tags to AI) enhances, not replaces, human expertise

What “whole lifecycle” animal health really means—and how it pays off



Links:

🌐 Visit the show page at www.futureofbeef.com

🐄 Learn more about PAC at www.pacdvms.com

📱 Explore the award-winning Breedr App at www.breedr.co

💻 Connect with Drovers: www.drovers.com



For more stories about advancing animal health, diagnostics, and sustainability across the beef supply chain, visit www.futureofbeef.com.