3 days ago
Brahman pioneer with Q fever saved by cow tissue heart valves
West Australian cattle pioneer Kathy Lovelock is known by the affectionate nickname "the Brahman lady".
But the moniker took on a deeper significance a decade ago, when she had parts of her heart replaced with valves made from cattle tissue, in an effort to treat the effects of Q fever.
Ms Lovelock, 80, has devoted most of her life to the cattle industry and has been instrumental in developing the Brahman breed across WA's Kimberley and Pilbara regions.
Together with her husband, David Lovelock, she founded Canterbury Brahman Stud in 1972 at New Norcia, a town about 130 kilometres north of Perth.
In 2015, they both underwent open-heart surgery to address complications from Q fever infections they had contracted many years before.
The disease had caused blockages in their heart valves and, in a twist of fate, cow tissue played an essential role in their treatment.
Replacement aortic valves are usually sourced from pig heart tissue, but Ms Lovelock is allergic to pigs, so she and her surgeon were left with no choice but to find an alternative.
Ms Lovelock said she believed it was tissue from Brahman cattle that saved her life.
"[The surgeon] actually went to California to source a bovine aortic valve, and informed us the tissue for that valve came from cattle in Brisbane," she said.
"The way we look at it is Queensland is dominated by Brahman cattle, so if they came from Brisbane or Queensland, it had to be Brahman tissue.
"There's a fair chance, in our opinion."
Ms Lovelock insisted it was pure coincidence that the cattle she had dedicated her life to breeding ultimately saved it.
Although not allergic to pigs, Mr Lovelock also received replacement aortic valves made using bovine tissue from Queensland cattle.
They understood that aortic valves sourced from cattle heart tissue would last longer than the pig equivalent.
Ms Lovelock said she and her husband contracted Q fever in 1995 while visiting sheep and goat sheds in Sabah, a state of East Malaysia on the island of Borneo.
"They thought I had dengue fever because there was no diagnosis for Q fever at the time."
Her symptoms included lethargy, a fever and headaches; she said it was like a serious case of the flu.
The cause was not identified as Q fever until 2007.
Nearly 20 years after contracting the disease and 10 years after undergoing open-heart surgery, Ms Lovelock is again facing challenges.
She said her immune system was compromised and her heart valves were "playing up".
Having another operation to replace her heart valves is not an option, so she is instead focused on managing her symptoms.
Mr Lovelock, on the other hand, is doing "fine" — a contrast Ms Lovelock attributes to taking antibiotics she was allergic to.
Q fever spreads when people inhale air or dust contaminated with Coxiella burnetii bacteria from the faeces or birth products of infected animals, and is usually associated with the livestock industry.
Ms Lovelock is now urging others in the industry to get tested for Q fever and to get vaccinated if they have not been infected.
In July, Ms Lovelock was inducted into the Royal Agricultural Society of WA Hall of Fame for her dedication to and impact on the West Australian cattle industry.
She said it came as a total surprise.
"It's great to have that recognition," Ms Lovelock said.
Looking back over the past 50 years, Ms Lovelock said she was most proud to have the support of her husband and the industry as she worked to progress the Brahman breed.
The farming matriarch has been actively involved in the Australian Brahman Breeders Association at both state and national levels, as well as the Cattle Council of Australia, and has made it a priority to inspire young people's interest in the beef industry.
