Australian startup tests bacteriophages as a new solution to bovine respiratory disease in feedlots

An Australian start-up is partnering with Queensland feedlots to explore bacteriophages as a targeted alternative to antibiotics for combating bovine respiratory disease, with trials set to begin in 2027.

A Queensland feedlot is helping an Australian start-up test whether bacteriophages, rather than antibiotics, can be used against bovine respiratory disease, one of the industry’s most persistent health problems in feedlot cattle.

AgriCureX, based at Sydney University’s Knowledge Hub and led by Professors Jon Iredell and Ruby Lin with chief executive Belinda Vassallo, is building a genomics-led platform around phage therapy. The company says the approach could offer a more targeted way to attack BRD-causing bacteria while reducing pressure on conventional antimicrobials.

On-farm sampling is under way, with staff taking nose swabs from cattle during routine yarding so the work does not require an extra muster. The team hopes to collect samples from more than 500 feedlot animals and about 200 more from beef properties, spanning different regions and breeds. The project will run through 2027, with a small pen trial due to begin in mid-2027.

MLA is co-funding the work and says the study reflects the value of collaboration between producers, researchers and industry. Its earlier surveillance work found resistance in BRD pathogens, including Pasteurella multocida, reinforcing calls for tighter stewardship. AgriCureX says improved sequencing and bioinformatics should make phage selection far more precise than in the past.