Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Zilpaterol

68 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Zilpaterol. See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

68
adverse-event reports
72.1%
death-coded share
Cattle
most-reported species
29
Death - top reaction
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Important: Adverse event reports do not establish that a drug caused or contributed to the event. Consult your veterinarian before making treatment decisions.
68
Total Reports
49
Deaths Reported
72.1%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Zilpaterol

Administration Routes

OralUnknownRespiratory (Inhalation)

Species Affected

Cattle 57
Horse 5
Human 2
Unknown 2
Pig 1
Sheep 1

Most Affected Breeds

Crossbred Bovine/Cattle 29
Cattle (unknown) 15
Holstein-Friesian also known as Holstein 5
Quarter Horse 4
Unknown 4
Aberdeen Angus 4
Horse (unknown) 1
Cattle (other) 1
Hereford pig 1
Sheep (unknown) 1

Most Reported Reactions

Death 29
Accidental exposure 8
Claw / hoof / nail disorder NOS 8
Pneumonia 7
Death by euthanasia 7
INEFFECTIVE, PRODUCTION (MEAT) 6
DEATH-SLAUGHTERED 6
Anorexia 5
INEFFECTIVE, WEIGHT INC 4
Recumbency 4
Hyperhidrosis 4
No sign 4

Outcome Breakdown

Died
49 (98.0%)
Recovered/Normal
1 (2.0%)

Zilpaterol Adverse Event Insights

68 reports name Zilpaterol; 49 recorded a death outcome (72.1% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Zilpaterol. Administration routes: Oral, Unknown, Respiratory (Inhalation).

By species: Cattle (57 reports), Horse (5 reports), Human (2 reports). By breed: Crossbred Bovine/Cattle (29), Cattle (unknown) (15), Holstein-Friesian also known as Holstein (5).

Leading clinical signs: Death (29), Accidental exposure (8), Claw / hoof / nail disorder NOS (8), Pneumonia (7). Outcome, 50 coded reports: Died leads at 98.0%.

Read these counts as reporting volume, not risk: per our methodology, a widely-prescribed drug will rack up more raw FDA reports in a given year than a rarely-used one at an identical true rate, so we recommend comparing within similar-exposure products rather than across the full 2025 catalog.

Source: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine openFDA Animal & Veterinary Adverse Events (CVM AER) · 2025

Every figure on PlainBreed is rendered directly from FDA openFDA adverse event data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FDA openFDA data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.