Dust concentrations in cattle feedlots cause significant respiratory disease, with welfare and production implications that are often underappreciated.
Respiratory disease in feedlot cattle is so common it is often treated as an inevitable cost of production rather than a preventable welfare problem. Cattle with pneumonia experience significant pain, breathlessness, and systemic illness — conditions that in companion animals would trigger immediate treatment and concern. The economic cost of BRD creates some alignment between welfare and production goals, but early detection and treatment still lag behind what would be considered adequate care in other settings.