TLDR;

In a nutshell, PAP is important for anyone in the cattle industry to understand.

• PAP scores are an attempt to avoid Brisket Disease in cattle
• A PAP score is only valid in cattle tested over 6,000 ft in elevation.
• A PAP score of 49 or higher is considered high-risk and can contribute to Brisket Disease
• Cattle developed at high elevations (Simmental) are a good way to combat Brisket Disease

Are PAP scores really that important? How accurate are PAP scores anyway? Does elevation affect the PAP score that much? How high of a PAP score is too high? These are all very important questions in today’s marketplace. Brisket Disease is definitely a growing problem in the cattle industry today. Most People who experience Brisket Disease problems run their cattle at higher elevations, typically over 7,000 ft in elevation. In the 1960’s, the only cattle who reportedly had Brisket Disease were over 7,000 ft in elevation.

We feel it is important to talk about all the factors that come into getting a PAP score and what changes affect that score. First of all, if a PAP score is performed correctly it is only 75% repeatable. There is some controversy on the matter of PAP scores. Dr. Holt told Beef Magazine in Aug 2011, “That a score is only valid in cattle tested over 6,000-6,500 ft in elevation.” That creates a big problem with the vast majority of cattle tested at elevations substantially lower than those required elevations. We have a lot of our customers and others ask us about the importance of a PAP score being lower than a 40. Rich McCormick at the University of Wyoming in Laramie said, “of the cattle we have tested at the UW we’ve never found one that tested below 40” (Laramie WY 7,160 Ft elevation). There are many things that affect PAP scores including: too much pressure on the cattle from the squeeze chute; cold temperatures can affect the score as much as 20%; age of cattle can play a huge role; cattle under 12 months of age greatly differ from cattle that have reached sexual maturity; lastly, elevation of the test, and the amount of time the cattle have lived at that elevation, drastically changes PAP scores. Some cattle can score in the low 30’s at 5,000 ft elevation and at 7,000 ft elevation can be deemed high risk with a score over 49.

We feel it is important to talk about the things that may increase the percentage of calves or cattle with Brisket Disease. First off, a strong mineral program is key to healthy cattle. If your cattle are low in key minerals, their immune system can be compromised. Secondly, “cattle that have been sick with something like pneumonia are 2 to 3 times more likely to get Brisket Disease” (USU article in Utah Cattlemen’s 2019). Thirdly, it is the hard reality of Brisket Disease that the best growers, or highest gainers, are more susceptible. When calves or cattle are growing at a fast rate, their hearts have added stress from the work load.

A great source of information on PAP scores are the great people at the T Heart Ranch with over 16,000 PAP scores recorded in their herd. They run cattle over 12,000 ft in elevation. Originally the T Heart Ranch ran a registered Angus herd and struggled with Brisket Disease taking as much as 30% of their calf crop every year. They found success with Simmental cattle influence. Now they run a primary Simmental and SimAngus program. Their death loss from Brisket Disease has dropped from 30% to 5%, and the majority of those 5% have a record of being doctored for other illnesses such as pneumonia. They PAP all of their cattle at 7,600 ft, and they feel the sweet spot for them is 36-46. They say that they have trouble with cattle whose PAP scores are too low as well as too high.

We feel that there are a few things you can do to drastically help the problem with Brisket Disease. One of the things you can do is run a breed of cattle that have performed at higher elevations for hundreds of years. Cattle that have thrived at those elevations for a long time have naturally been culled from having PAP problems. We believe that one of the best breeds to do that is with the Simmental Breed. Developed in the Simme Valley in Switzerland with elevations up to 10,640 ft in elevation. They have done remarkably well as a dual purpose breed for meat and milk. They have also been known to graze in the Swiss Alps at elevations of 12,000 ft in elevation.

Another thing you can do to improve your odds is buying bulls and cattle that have been tested at higher elevations. If a seed stock producer runs at those higher elevation conditions, they will typically have cattle that have been put through the stress of performing at those altitudes.

A heavy cull program is also key in combating the problem of Brisket Disease. PAP is only 34% inheritable (USU article in Utah cattlemen’s). That means the bull is 34%, the cow is 34%, and the last 32% comes from all of the other factors in your area or region. It is really hard for the bull to fix the problem when the cow is considered high risk. If a cow loses more than one calf to Brisket Disease, she probably is a contributor to the problem. Keeping track of your calves that get Brisket Disease, and the parentage they come from, are key in combating this problem.

Burton Simmental feels your concerns on the matter of PAP scores and death loss to Brisket Disease. Our cattle run at elevations up to 9,500 ft in elevation and calve at the home place at 7,000 ft in elevation. We very rarely have issues in our cattle from Brisket Disease. Dr. Mathis from Ashley Valley Animal Hospital said, “You know why you don’t have issues with Brisket Disease? You run Simmental cattle.” And we firmly believe that.

We guarantee our bulls to have a PAP score of 48 or lower at 7,000 ft, PAP score 46 or lower at 6,000 ft, and PAP score 44 or lower at 5,000 ft.