Bovine respiratory disease is the most costly health problem in the beef industry and one of the most significant welfare concerns, causing pain, distress, and high mortality in feedlot cattle.
Bovine respiratory disease represents a cycle of stress-induced immune suppression, pathogen challenge, and disease that causes significant suffering to millions of feedlot cattle each year. The transport and commingling events at feedlot entry create the immunological vulnerability that pathogens exploit. Animals progressing to severe respiratory disease experience the distress of high fever, painful breathing, and progressive weakness. Prevention through stress reduction, vaccination, and improved management is preferable to treatment for both welfare and antibiotic stewardship reasons. The economic costs of BRD also create commercial incentives aligned with welfare improvement.