Species
Cattle: adverse event reports
31,229 reports, 2.3% of FDA's animal drug adverse event database
31,229 adverse event reports in FDA's database concern cattle: 2.3% of all reports received from January 1987 to March 2026. 644 arrived in the 12 months to March 2026, close to the 666 of the 12 months before. That is 0.9% of all reports received in those 12 months and about 796 reports a year over the whole record.
By active ingredient, the drugs named most often are monensin (10.8% of cattle reports), doramectin (10.3% of cattle reports), tulathromycin (7.3% of cattle reports) and ivermectin (6.9% of cattle reports). Drugs given to the most animals lead the list for that reason; brands are masked in the public data.
The terms listed most often are death (29.4%), lack of efficacy - NOS (10.2%) and lack of efficacy (bacteria) - NOS (8.6%). 58.4% of reports stating seriousness were classed as serious (38.6% across all species), and 36.8% record a death or euthanasia (6.4% overall).
FDA posts reports quarterly with a delay of three to six months, so the newest months are incomplete and usually grow in later releases.
Drugs named most often, by active ingredient
| Active ingredients recorded for the drug | Reports | Share of cattle reports | Share of the drug's reports that concern cattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monensin | 3,387 | 10.8% | 70.1% |
| Doramectin | 3,232 | 10.3% | 68% |
| Tulathromycin | 2,273 | 7.3% | 71.9% |
| Ivermectin | 2,166 | 6.9% | 10.8% |
| Eprinomectin | 1,506 | 4.8% | 66.6% |
| Moxidectin | 1,314 | 4.2% | 2.3% |
| Ceftiofur Crystalline Free Acid | 966 | 3.1% | 45.3% |
| Dinoprost Tromethamine | 907 | 2.9% | 70.1% |
| Tilmicosin Phosphate | 827 | 2.6% | 23.1% |
| Melengestrol Acetate | 744 | 2.4% | 95.9% |
| Cephapirin Sodium | 722 | 2.3% | 84% |
| Ceftiofur Hydrochloride | 659 | 2.1% | 53.9% |
| Oxytetracycline | 646 | 2.1% | 52.1% |
| Florfenicol | 486 | 1.6% | 45.3% |
| Progesterone | 473 | 1.5% | 57.1% |
| Tildipirosin | 419 | 1.3% | 79.2% |
| Gamithromycin | 341 | 1.1% | 74.6% |
| Clorsulon + Ivermectin | 298 | 1% | 31.9% |
| Florfenicol + Flunixin | 296 | 0.9% | 68.4% |
| Cephapirin Benzathine | 288 | 0.9% | 65.8% |
| Albendazole | 271 | 0.9% | 35.2% |
| Flunixin Meglumine | 268 | 0.9% | 18.3% |
| Estradiol | 262 | 0.8% | 61.2% |
| Vitamin E | 255 | 0.8% | 21.5% |
| Ceftiofur Sodium | 254 | 0.8% | 18.4% |
| Enrofloxacin | 233 | 0.7% | 2.9% |
| Estradiol Benzoate + Trenbolone Acetate | 233 | 0.7% | 68.1% |
| Oxfendazole | 221 | 0.7% | 73.2% |
| Fenbendazole | 204 | 0.7% | 4.8% |
| Penicillin G Procaine | 202 | 0.6% | 27.7% |
Ordered by report count, which follows how widely a drug is used. FDA states that these data "cannot be used to estimate the risk associated with the product or compare one drug or device product with another". openFDA masks brand and manufacturer names in adverse event records, so the reports counted here cannot be attributed to a particular brand.
Signs listed in reports
share of cattle reports listing the termall species
- Death29.4%9,196
- Lack of efficacy - NOS[the product did not have the expected effect]10.2%3,184
- Lack of efficacy (bacteria) - NOS[the product did not have the expected effect: target not specified]8.6%2,694
- Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - lice[the product did not have the expected effect: lice]7.4%2,308
- Residues in milk4.7%1,463
- Injection site swelling[swelling where the injection was given]3.8%1,175
- Recumbency[lying down and unable or unwilling to rise]3.3%1,046
- Anorexia[not eating]3.3%1,023
- Anaphylaxis[sudden severe allergic-type reaction]3.3%1,015
- Pruritus[itching]3.2%1,007
- Diarrhoea[diarrhea]3%931
- Alteration of milk quality2.8%860
- Mastitis NOS[NOS: not otherwise specified]2.5%774
- Alopecia NOS[hair loss, type not specified]2.4%751
- Milk production decrease2.1%664
- Death by euthanasia[the animal was euthanized]2.1%651
- Ineffective, lice biting[legacy FDA term: the product did not have the expected effect (lice biting)]2.1%651
- Collapse2.1%649
- Dyspnoea[difficulty breathing]2.1%641
- Lack of efficacy (protozoa) - Coccidia[the product did not have the expected effect: coccidia]2.1%641
- Abortion1.9%580
- Ineffective, estrus synchroniz[legacy FDA term: the product did not have the expected effect (estrus synchroniz)]1.9%578
- PR-lung(s), lesion(s)[legacy FDA term: lesions found in the lungs]1.7%545
- Ineffective, estrus suppressio[legacy FDA term: the product did not have the expected effect (estrus suppressio)]1.7%542
- Hypersalivation[drooling]1.7%536
- Depression[dull, quiet or withdrawn]1.7%535
- Lameness1.5%484
- Culture/titer data abnormal1.4%446
- Lack of efficacy (lice)[the product did not have the expected effect: lice]1.4%445
Single ingredients, pooled across combinations
- Monensin3,546 reports · 11.4%
- Doramectin3,305 reports · 10.6%
- Ivermectin2,458 reports · 7.9%
- Tulathromycin2,454 reports · 7.9%
- Eprinomectin1,506 reports · 4.8%
- Moxidectin1,314 reports · 4.2%
- Ceftiofur Crystalline Free Acid966 reports · 3.1%
- Dinoprost Tromethamine907 reports · 2.9%
- Tilmicosin Phosphate827 reports · 2.6%
- Florfenicol790 reports · 2.5%
- Melengestrol Acetate758 reports · 2.4%
- Oxytetracycline737 reports · 2.4%
- Cephapirin Sodium722 reports · 2.3%
- Progesterone679 reports · 2.2%
- Ceftiofur Hydrochloride659 reports · 2.1%
- Estradiol600 reports · 1.9%
Age and weight
Age of the animal
Weight of the animal
Outcomes and report types
Outcome recorded in the report
What kind of report it was
Coloured bar: cattle reports. Grey bar: all 1,357,245 reports. Outcomes are as stated by the reporter.
Trend
Reports by month FDA received them. The newest months are incomplete because FDA posts reports with a delay of three to six months.
| Measure | Cattle | All reports |
|---|---|---|
| Reports | 31,229 | 1,357,245 |
| Classed serious, of reports stating it | 58.4% | 38.6% |
| Death or euthanasia recorded, per 1,000 reports | 368.3 | 63.8 |
| Filed as lack of expected effectiveness (wholly or partly) | 22.3% | 23% |
Breeds with their own page
- Holstein-Friesian8,598 reports · 27.5% of cattle reports
- Aberdeen Angus2,473 reports · 7.9% of cattle reports
- Jersey603 reports · 1.9% of cattle reports
- Hereford cattle329 reports · 1.1% of cattle reports
- Charolais307 reports · 1% of cattle reports
- Simmental186 reports · 0.6% of cattle reports
- Limousin137 reports · 0.4% of cattle reports
- Brangus105 reports · 0.3% of cattle reports
Single-breed labels with at least 100 reports. Crossbred animals count in the species total only.
Questions about cattle reports
How many adverse event reports involve cattle?
31,229 reports through March 2026, 2.3% of the database; 644 in the latest 12 months.
Which drugs are reported most often for cattle?
By active ingredient: monensin (3,387), doramectin (3,232), tulathromycin (2,273), ivermectin (2,166) and eprinomectin (1,506). The order tracks how widely each is used; brands are masked in the public data.
What signs are reported most in cattle?
death (29.4%), lack of efficacy - NOS (10.2%), lack of efficacy (bacteria) - NOS (8.6%), lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - lice (7.4%) and residues in milk (4.7%).
What ages are the cattle in these reports?
under 1 year (19.3%), 1 to 3 years (14.7%) and 4 to 7 years (6.5%); age is not given in 59% of reports.
Do more reports mean more risk for this species?
No. Counts follow how many animals are treated and how readily their owners and veterinarians report. FDA states that "there is no certainty that the reported drug or device caused the adverse event" and that the event "may have been related to an underlying disease, other drugs used at the same time or other non-drug related sources."
How do I report a problem?
Call the drug company using the number on the label, or send Form FDA 1932a to FDA. See the guide on how to report.
Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Animal & Veterinary adverse event bulk files released 28 Sep 2026, which hold reports FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine received through 31 Mar 2026. openFDA masks brand and manufacturer names in these files, so drugs are counted by the active ingredients each record discloses and no figure is attributed to a brand, application or company. Ingredient names, and the separate reference lists of approved products, follow the FDA Green Book as of 30 Sep 2026. No report text, lot numbers or reporter details are published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.