Rosslyn Biggs, DVM- When cattle losses occur, producers are often left with more questions than answers. Whether the death is sudden, unexpected, or part of a concerning pattern, knowing why an animal died provides information to make decisions for the herd and ultimately the long-term success of the operation. A veterinary necropsy is the equivalent to a human autopsy. It is one of the most powerful diagnostic tools available to cattlemen, yet is often underutilized.
Necropsy offers far more than a visual assessment. Investing in a necropsy and associated laboratory testing can provide clarity, prevent additional losses, and guide more effective herd management decisions. Economically, the value of a necropsy often exceeds the cost many times over. Identifying the true cause of death can prevent additional losses and reduce unnecessary expenditures.
A comprehensive necropsy allows veterinarians to distinguish infectious disease from nutritional issues, toxicities, and other causes of mortality that may not be obvious from external observation alone. Understanding why a calf was stillborn, why an abortion occurred, or why a cow died near parturition can guide future breeding, nutrition, and management decisions. In toxicity cases, necropsy and laboratory testing can often pinpoint the culprit, whether plants, chemicals, or feed issues, allowing producers and veterinarians to act quickly to prevent losses. In pneumonia cases, necropsy and subsequent samples may lead to necessary changes in antimicrobial choices.
Without a necropsy, it is easy to make assumptions that lead to unnecessary treatments, missed diagnoses, or preventable herd-wide issues. When performed by a veterinarian, it involves a systematic evaluation of all major organ systems, review of herd history, and targeted sample collection for laboratory diagnostics. In certain situations, such as feedlots, veterinarians may choose to train operation personnel to perform necropsies. Trained non-veterinarians can collect meaningful data, samples, and images when standardized protocols are utilized in coordination with veterinary interpretation and diagnosis.
Timeliness is critical. Producers should contact their veterinarian as soon as possible after discovering an unexplained death. Early examination improves diagnostic accuracy, particularly before scavengers, weather, or decomposition interfere with tissue quality. Necropsy findings become a valuable tool for protecting herd health, strengthening future management decisions, and supporting long‑term profitability when combined with strong herd records and open communication with a veterinarian.
The USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service National Animal Health Monitoring System Beef Cow-Calf 2017 study indicated that less than 25 to 30% of operations submit any diagnostic samples for disease investigation in a given year. When performing a necropsy, samples of blood and other tissues collected should be submitted to a diagnostic laboratory. Testing through facilities such as the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic
Laboratory (OADDL) provides information that supports real‑time decision‑making. Accurate diagnostics ensure producers are treating the right problem with the right strategy at the right time. OADDL also offers necropsies performed by board certified pathologists for those situations where readily accessible necropsy services are not available or enhanced diagnostics are needed. More information can be found on their website oaddl.okstate.edu.
Producers and veterinarians continue to face a complex and evolving set of health challenges. For data driven decision making, a veterinary necropsy is not simply an expense, it is an investment in answers, prevention, and the health of the entire operation.
