Intensive Farming

Cattle Respiratory Disease Welfare

Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of cattle mortality and antibiotic use in beef and dairy systems requiring welfare-focused prevention.

Key Facts

BRD causes 75% of cattle illness and 50% of deaths in feedlots
It causes fever, labored breathing, reduced appetite, and systemic illness
Prevention through reduced stress at commingling and vaccination is effective
Early treatment substantially improves outcomes compared to delayed intervention

Welfare Considerations

Cattle with bovine respiratory disease experience fever, pleurisy, consolidation of lung tissue, and systemic illness that causes significant suffering. Inadequate early detection means many cattle are treated too late for optimal recovery. Prevention through stress reduction at commingling, vaccination, and good housing hygiene is both welfare-positive and economically beneficial. Early treatment biomarkers are being developed to enable more timely intervention.

What You Can Do

Support cattle operations with proactive BRD prevention programs
Advocate for BRD morbidity monitoring as a welfare indicator
Buy beef and dairy from farms with documented respiratory health management
Back research into BRD prevention and early detection methods