Farm Animals

Cattle Feedlot Respiratory Disease

Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of illness and death in feedlot cattle, causing significant suffering and antibiotic use.

Key Facts

BRD causes over 70% of feedlot morbidity and 40% of all feedlot deaths
Mixing of cattle from multiple sources creates high disease transmission risk
Stress from transport and social regrouping suppresses immune function
Early detection through electronic monitoring reduces treatment delays
Metaphylactic antibiotic treatment prevents disease but contributes to resistance

Welfare Considerations

Feedlot cattle experience significant suffering from respiratory disease that causes fever, labored breathing, and lethargy. Treatment delays worsen outcomes and welfare. Prevention through reduced commingling, vaccination, and stress reduction addresses root causes. Antibiotic use for prevention rather than treatment raises public health concerns alongside welfare issues.

What You Can Do

Support feedlot welfare standards that address BRD prevention
Advocate for reducing commingling practices that spread respiratory disease
Support research on BRD vaccines and early detection systems
Choose beef from operations with documented disease prevention protocols
Engage with antibiotic use in livestock as both a welfare and public health issue