Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of illness and death in beef cattle in feedlots, representing a major welfare and economic problem.
Bovine respiratory disease causes significant suffering in affected cattle. The pneumonia it produces causes breathing difficulty, fever, pain, and lethargy that leaves affected animals feeling profoundly unwell. Cattle with BRD often stop eating and lose significant condition during illness. Without prompt treatment, the disease progresses to severe lung damage that may be irreversible, producing chronic respiratory impairment that continues to compromise welfare even in animals that survive the acute disease. The connection between feedlot arrival stress - from transport, commingling with unfamiliar animals, and dietary changes - and BRD susceptibility means that management practices that reduce stress at the point of arrival can significantly improve welfare outcomes for feedlot cattle.