By Patti Wilson Contributing Editor
Pictured are Rafael, Felipe, Marcela and Rodrigo.
Imagine being able to mitigate the No. 1 problem you have faced in your life of cattle production: stress. It affects every aspect of our livestock’s lives from birth through harvest. We fight to minimize it constantly. It is a tough battle to win, and on certain days it seems impossible.
What Is FerAppease?
I spoke with Rodrigo Bicalho, DVM, founder and CEO of Fera Diagnostics and Biologicals Corp., the maker of FerAppease, about the technology Fera has developed and is now marketing.
Bicalho served as a professor at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine for 13 years, where he conducted groundbreaking research in cattle health, disease prevention and productivity. A leading voice in the field, Bicalho has published more than 130 scientific articles, contributing significantly to the advancement of livestock health and management. Fera intensified their research program into pheromones after the company relocated to College Station, Texas, four years ago.
Pheromones are a chemical substance released by an animal that influences the behavior of another animal of the same type. These particular pheromones were originally discovered on the udders of lactating sows. The compound was found to “slow down” stress signals sent by the brain. Brains are likely to overprocess (or overreact to) these signals, exacerbating stress reaction.
Bicalho explained the process further. There are technically two parts of the brain that initiate stress and anxiety. They, in turn, activate adrenal glands that release adrenaline into the bloodstream. This is when your cattle get upset. Pheromones are perceived by glands in the nose, and signals are sent to the brain for the animal to calm down. Maternal pheromones may be perceived as an anti-anxiety drug.
Of course, I wondered how anyone could come up with an idea to harness this natural phenomenon, mass produce it and market it successfully, internationally. Bicalho replied, simply, it had been studied for 40 years and “science is a snowball. Nothing happens in isolation; it is accumulated knowledge.”
FerAppease is manufactured from all-natural, food-grade products. It is a synthetic analog of the bovine maternal appeasing substance (mBAS). Bicalho said that all ingredients in FerAppease are FDA approved as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The product has a two-year shelf life.
Product Use
Given what we know now, how is this product used? In what way does it work? FerAppease is applied topically across the muzzle and behind the poll of cattle. It is absorbed by the oil-producing glands of the hair, where it is slowly released over a period of two weeks. Everything happens locally in the head and nose. Cost of the product is approximately $3 per head for cattle weighing more than 200 pounds. FerAppease is effectively used in cattle until they reach adulthood. Importantly, there is no withdrawal.
What Are the Benefits?
Bicalho noted a significant increase in performance of cattle treated with the product. Calves receiving FerAppease at weaning adjust quickly to the change, going to the bunk sooner and eating well. Results are so positive that backgrounding and finishing lots are including FerAppease in their low-risk calves upon arrival and processing. Many are re-treated at midpoint through the feeding period when pens are normally re-implanted. The all-natural product is especially appreciated for no withdrawal requirements at this late stage of production, simplifying use and benefits.
Important Numbers
Let’s get to specifics. Tests conducted on steers at Texas A&M University in 2024-2025 revealed positive results for the use of FerAppease on high-risk cattle. Steers treated with the product had a greater dry matter intake, resulting in an increased 16 percent gain over the control group. Over a 138-day feeding period, it amounted to 23.5 pounds per head. They presented a higher marbling score at harvest with 94.9 percent grading Choice, compared to the control group, which came in at 87.9 percent. Carcass value penciled out at a $90.50 profit advantage, while per-head live weight garnered a $60-per-head benefit.
Other tests involving FerAppease showed an 83 percent reduction in mortality. Additional research has indicated higher levels of serum antibodies against BRSV, BVDV and PI3. This was attributed to alleviated stress during the feeding period.
Additionally, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is currently running a research trial on 1,500 head of higher quality, low-risk feedlot cattle to determine if they would benefit from FerAppease.
About the Process
FerAppease is a patented product owned by Fera Diagnostics and Biological Corporation. Bicalho said it has had the fastest acceptance of any animal health product and it is hard for the company to keep up with demand. It’s available everywhere in local, national and international outlets.
The Bicalho family chose Texas as home for their enterprise because it is business friendly. The firm employs 35 people. Highly motivated individuals are hired to do a high-quality job, and with the construction of a new 60,000-square-foot facility, 50 to 60 new hires may eventually work there next year.
In addition, the family finds College Station at a logistical advantage to move livestock products. There’s a favorable culture in town, as well.
FerAppease is focused on production animals – beef, dairy and swine. Equine may be considered in the future. The challenge, says Bicalho, is to reach the potential of the product. It helps animals’ productivity and profit by giving them a more humane life.
Bicalho’s said FerAppease is the best product the tech industry has ever seen. It improves health and production by reducing stress without negative side effects. He believes they are changing the industry for the better.
