Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of cattle morbidity and mortality in beef and dairy systems, with effective vaccination programs being central to prevention and welfare protection.
BRD causes significant suffering through fever, respiratory distress, depression, and pain associated with pulmonary consolidation. Severely affected animals may struggle to breathe and are profoundly unwell. Chronic pneumonia causes permanent lung damage and impaired welfare throughout the animal's productive life. Prevention through well-designed vaccination programs is both economically and welfare-positive. Reducing reliance on metaphylactic antibiotics requires improved pre-arrival management, vaccination, and early case detection. Reducing BRD incidence through prevention is a major welfare priority in beef and dairy systems globally.