Bovine respiratory disease is the most costly health problem in beef cattle, causing significant welfare harm that is often preventable through improved housing and management.
Respiratory disease causes fever, difficulty breathing, lethargy, and reduced feeding that cause significant suffering before detection and treatment. Prevention through appropriate housing with adequate ventilation, minimising mixing stress, and prompt identification of sick animals is both welfare-positive and economically beneficial. Individual monitoring technology enables earlier detection reducing the duration of untreated suffering.