Farmed Animals

Cattle Respiratory Disease Prevention

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is the most economically significant cattle disease and causes significant individual animal suffering.

Key Facts

BRD is responsible for 75% of feedlot illness and 50% of deaths
Stress from weaning, transport and commingling creates windows of high disease susceptibility
Metaphylactic antibiotic treatment prevents disease in high-risk groups but contributes to resistance
Vaccination protocols and low-stress management significantly reduce BRD incidence

Welfare Considerations

BRD causes acute suffering including fever, labored breathing, coughing and lethargy. Animals that survive severe episodes may have permanent lung damage reducing their quality of life. The disease is strongly associated with stressful management practices, meaning that low-stress approaches to weaning, transport and feedlot entry reduce suffering at the source while also reducing antibiotic use.

What You Can Do

Support beef producers who prioritize low-stress management and vaccination
Advocate for better BRD monitoring and treatment protocols
Support research into alternatives to metaphylactic antibiotics
Choose beef from producers with documented animal health programs