Health management in cattle feedlots is critical for welfare, as respiratory disease, digestive disorders, and injury are common causes of pain and death in this production system.
Feedlot cattle health management directly determines welfare outcomes for millions of animals. Bovine respiratory disease causes significant suffering from fever, respiratory distress, and the pain of thoracic inflammation. Untreated cases progress to fatal pneumonia with prolonged suffering before death. Digestive disorders from grain feeding cause acidosis-related discomfort and predispose to laminitis in the feet, causing chronic pain. The scale of respiratory disease in feedlots reflects both the stress of the production system and the challenges of managing large groups of animals with diverse health histories. Early detection through regular monitoring and appropriate treatment when disease is detected reduces both the duration of suffering and mortality. Proactive health management protocols including strategic preventive treatment reduce disease incidence.