Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is the most costly disease in housed beef cattle and a significant welfare problem. Prevention-focused management reduces the burden of this painful condition.
Bovine Respiratory Disease causes chest pain, difficulty breathing, fever, and lethargy that significantly impairs welfare during the acute phase. Chronic respiratory disease results in permanently impaired lung function that compromises the animal throughout its life. The welfare response prioritises prevention over treatment: adequate building ventilation, pre-housing vaccination, low-stress handling and transport that minimises immunosuppression, and early detection through twice-daily health observation. The economic impact of BRD aligns with the welfare imperative — prevention is better than treatment for both outcomes.